A Fairy Tail Ending
by Ice of the Kitsune's Fire
Summary: When Lucy and Natsu fall into a magical book of fairy tales, the only way to get out is to go through each tale and achieve its happy ending. Who said it would be easy? NatsuxLucy
1. Prologue

"N-No way!"

Lucy stared in crude disbelief at the great- no, _amazing_- no, _spectacular-_ no, _miraculous_ thing in her hands!

Perhaps that was a bit of an… _understatement_.

The heat in Magnolia that day was sweltering, but Lucy ignored it, bobbing up and down excitedly in her apartment desk. In her hands was the best thing that had ever happened in her entire life.

The special edition, one of only five copies in the _world_, of her dream book by Kemu Zaleon, or rather, Zekua Melon (Lucy flinched upon remembering the disastrous mission involving Virgo, the pay-less mission, and 'Daybreak').

"'_Fairy Tales',_" Lucy crooned, stroking the cover of the book. "Not very original, but still…" The name was reminiscent of her guild, Lucy thought fondly, as she traced the light tattoo on her hand while her eyes roamed the cover.

She hesitated before opening the book. The hype this book had received was twice the amount _Daybreak_ had gotten, and what if it all turned out to be a complete and utter letdown?

"_The book is undoubtedly the best out there, evolving classic, timeless tales into something hands-on and original. The experience will leave you breathless!"_ One critic had raved, (who was also known as one of the toughest-to-impress, most difficult and famed critics in Magnolia) and had gone on to say how hard it was to find, but utterly worth the effort, because the experience was like…

…_like being in the book_, Lucy remembered with a gulp. Her thumb neared the corner of the glossy cover, slowly inching to open it…

"LUCY!"

"N-Natsu!" Lucy whirled around in surprise, almost dropping the book. Recovering with a half-scowl, half-smile, she placed _Fairy Tales_ onto her desk lovingly before turning to Natsu with her hands on her hips.

"Natsu, how many times do I have to tell you not to come into my apartment without permission? You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days!"

"Naww," Natsu snorted derisively, turning to give Lucy a scorching hug. "Wassup?"

Despite herself, Lucy blushed very slightly before rolling her eyes and shoving the fire mage away.

"If you would excuse me, I have to get to what will be the single, most spectacular event in my life."

"Even better than camping with me and Happy?" Natsu asked, completely serious.. Lucy shuddered at _that_ particular memory- the experience was an odd mix of graham crackers, lace panties, and vicious mutant bunnies. She didn't want to relive the experience.

Nevertheless, Lucy grinned.

"_Much_ better," she sighed dreamily, holding up the book for Natsu to see. "I've dreamed of reading this book ever since it was proclaimed one of the rarest books in the _world_. Natsu, can you even _imagine_-?"

But Natsu had already turned away to ravage through her refrigerator.

It was funny, Lucy smiled faintly, how _comfortable_ the dragonslayer always seemed with her. Then again, he always was with everyone. Still, the rate at which he visited her home made it feel like they were practically… _living_ _together_.

Which they were _not_, Lucy mentally admonished herself, even if he slept in her bed more than occasionally.

With a fond smile (and a scoff- he just couldn't appreciate the finer things in life. The illiterate Neanderthal!), Lucy plopped down into her chair, made herself comfortable, and closed her eyes in anticipation.

Lifting the cover slowly, Lucy opened the book

When she ventured to peek, Lucy was utterly surprised to see that the first page was blank, save for small runes that covered the borders…

_Oh, no_.

Before Lucy could slam the book shut in recognition, the runes had already begun to glow bright neon hues. Unable to look away, she watched as the pages grew brighter, and the magic began to work its wonder.

_Oh, figures that yet another book Zekua Melon would write would be a __**magical**__ book_! How, oh _how_ had the critic neglected to mention this?

Lucy let out a shout of surprise when she felt herself being _pulled_ towards the pages, as if her very essence was being sucked into the book.

_She was being sucked into the book_!

"N-Natsu!" The blonde screeched as the magic of the book became unbearable. Natsu poked his head around the corner in surprise, and his onyx eyes widened; in a split second, he saw and assessed.

The dragonslayer grabbed Lucy's outstretched hand, and with a loud _pop!_, the two mages were sucked into the book.

_Fairy Tales_ closed with an ominous shut, shielding the glowing light from the room, and plopped to the floor.

* * *

><p>AN: **Before you exit out of this ****without reviewing****, please do it anyway. **This is the first multi-chaptered Fairy Tail story I'll be attempting, so feedback is invaluable. Thanks!


	2. Chapter One: Cinderella

Lucy awoke on a beaten, stiff cot, wearing tattered rags. Her first immediate thought was '_What the hell?'_ followed immediately by '_Oh god, I'm in that book.'_

A closer look at her surroundings showed a cramped, barely furnished room the size of her bathroom back home. Every single belonging in the room appeared to be badly battered and falling apart.

"Where am I?" Lucy murmured to herself groggily, trying to stand up without breaking the cot. What she got in response nearly shocked her out of her wits.

"CINDERELLA!"

_Wait, __**what?**_

Lucy staggered for a moment. Cinderella was that character from one of those silly, romantic fairy tales, wasn't she? And according to the story, Lucy realized with a lurch in her gut, the girl supposedly lived in a room exactly like… this… one…

"CINDERELLA! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" The shrill voice blasted again, and Lucy recovered quickly enough to shout back.

"I-I'll be right there!"

A quick glance at the dark, reflective window told her that she still _looked_ the same, which was a relief. Lucy didn't think she'd be able to-

_Wait, where was Natsu?_

Pushing that aside in favor of the shrieks echoing from downstairs, Lucy stumbled out the door to the source of the noise.

"-slow! You'd think that she was an ugly freakin' turtle…"

"I _know_, right?"

Lucy rounded the corner to be greeted with the shocking sight of Angel and, (from what Loki had often described to Lucy) _Karen_. The two stellar spirit mages were giving her scowls harsh enough that Lucy had to avert her gaze.

"Damn it, Cinderella! I told you that I wanted my clothes flawless!" Angel hissed, pointing at the (horribly fit) dress that she was wearing. "There's a wrinkle right… right… somewhere…"

While Angel began to pretty much turn in circles, looking for the nonexistent wrinkle, Karen wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"And didn't I tell you that I wanted you to comb my hair and do my makeup? I want to be perfect for the ball tomorrow."

"Ball?" Lucy echoed dumbly.

"Yes, you scatterbrained idiot," Karen said scathingly, plopping a brush into Lucy's hands and sitting in a chair, motioning for Lucy to brush her hair. As Lucy hesitantly did as she was told (the woman's glare was enough to rival Erza), Karen continued, "don't you remember? You were all excited yesterday when that messenger came by to deliver the news that-" Here, she lowered voice haughtily in what Lucy thought to be an imitation of the messenger- "_You are cordially invited to the royal ball."_

"Of course," Angel was surly, apparently having given up on the wrinkle, "that was directed toward _us_, and not _you._ It's really too bad that you won't have a chance to catch the Prince's attention, like we will."

The two women laughed unpleasantly, but Lucy just continued to fix Karen's hair, her mind already miles away.

Lucy had been forced into the roll of (a slave) one of the main characters; her intuition told her that there was a good chance that Natsu had been cast as none other than the Prince.

She _needed_ to find him and discuss this! Chances were that the idiot would mess everything up, give away his identity and maybe get hurt, knowing how dense he was… Lucy's stomach clenched with worry for the mage, wondering exactly how they would meet up.

"-I said, _were you listening, Cinderella?_" Angel hissed, breaking Lucy out of her reverie.

"Sorry, sister," Lucy said cautiously, turning her attention from Karen's now-shining hair to the irritated, short-haired girl. "What were you saying?"

"I was _saying_," Angel snarled, "that you are to help us prepare for the ball tomorrow night, and then stay home to make the home _spotless_ for our return. Do I make myself clear?"

"Clear as crystal," Lucy murmured sarcastically, already tiring of the girl's attitude. Karen swatted at Lucy, obviously irritated.

"Go to your room. We tire of your presence, and Mother will be home from her party soon to help us prepare for tomorrow night."

Not wanting to know exactly who the mother of the two _witches_ was, Lucy scuttled up to her closet-sized bedroom and closed the door.

The second the wood clicked shut, Lucy looked out the window expectantly. Sure enough, the far-off castle lights shone brightly and merrily, contradicting her mood at having been ordered around like a slave.

_Not like the two had ever been better as Stellar Spirit mages back on Earthland_, Lucy thought sourly. The appearances of Angel and Karen had shocked Lucy, but Angel had not shown any recognition; perhaps this was something like their counterparts in Edolas?

The real problem, however, was finding Natsu. Lucy knew from reading fairy tales as a child that Cinderella had to go through a heck lot of crap before meeting the prince. And even if she did manage to meet up with Natsu, how would they get out of the book?

Natsu… as a _prince_…

Lucy tried miserably to cover her blush at the thought of Natsu as a prince. _Natsu_, of all people! Being suave and gentlemanly and handsome and-

Lucy buried her face in the dirty cot, willing herself to fall asleep, and wondering how the hell she could be thinking about _Natsu_ (which wasn't a surprise, because she had to bashfully admit he was in a great deal of her thoughts anyway) actually _flirting_ (which was a complete impossibility) with _her_?

Before the blonde knew it, she was fast asleep, dreaming of pink hair and bright castles.

* * *

><p>"<em>Please<em>!" Lucy begged through her clenched teeth, dirty hand outstretched.

Angel and Karen, wrapped up in tight corsets and frilly dresses, looked down at her disdainfully, stepping out of Lucy's filthy reach. Lucy barely suppressed a scowl and repeated her plea.

_I washed the dishes_, Lucy silently fumed. _I swept the floors. I polished every glass, brass, and window in this house. I dusted, I did the laundry, and I hung up everything to dry. I helped you prepare for the ball, did your make up and hair, and your response is-_

"_No_," Karen sneered. "Mother strictly instructed you to stay home as punishment for forgetting to rearrange her jewelry. You forgetful _wench_."

From behind Lucy's crouched, humble figure stepped an old, nameless woman with faded, white hair and a crooked smirk. She made a special effort to 'accidentally' kick Lucy, apologized half-heartedly, and stepped behind her daughters.

"Now, Cinderella, if this house is not spotless by midnight, then you will promptly be punished with no supper. Am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," Lucy glared at the floor. _You already had me go without breakfast this morning, you heartless-_

"Good."

With a shudder and a creak, the door closed in Lucy's face.

Snarling viciously, Lucy pinned her face against the window and watched as the three vain women sauntered into the night (and oh, it was such a gorgeous night, why did it have to taunt her?), into a carriage and drove away.

"Just _GREAT_," Lucy growled, slamming a fist against the wall. In the books she had read, some weird crap had happened, a magical Fairy Godmother had appeared out of nowhere, and Cinderella had been magically swept away.

But here, alone in the vast house with nothing but dirty rags, Lucy felt vastly _alone_. All that was there was chores, work, exhaustion… There was no Fairy Godmother, no handsome prince-

-_no Natsu, laughing with her, warming her with his smile, staying by her side with that cocky grin-_

Frustrated, Lucy let out a wail and threw her fist against the banister of the stairway. The frail thing actually had the nerve to _break_ under her strength (huh, so she wasn't as weak as she thought. That was nice to know), and a rather sizable splinter lodged itself in her palm.

Tears springing to her eyes, Lucy muttered a low curse and moved to bandage the small wound, when a voice shocked her out of her wits.

"Don't cry, you poor thing!"

With an unearthly shriek, Lucy pinned herself against the wall, whirled around, and saw none other than-

"_Mirajane_?" Lucy's jaw dropped open, her eyes nearly popping out. "No _way_. What are you-" She cut herself off, her eyes trailing the older girl's body.

"You have wings," Lucy deadpanned. "What. The hell."

"Now, now," Mirajane cooed. "Pretty girls don't have ugly mouths. And as for these," she gestured to the rather flashy wings sprouting from her back, "that's because I'm your Fairy Godmother!"

The two girls giggled girlishly; Lucy paused, seeing the look on Mirajane's face, and trailed off.

"Wait. You weren't _serious_, were you-?"

"Oh, dead serious," Mirajane smiled angelically, waved her hand, and Lucy watched in astonishment as her clothes disappeared into thin air-

("H-hey! Th-that's uncalled for!" Lucy spluttered, immediately trying to cover all the, ah, _important_ parts. "Why the heck-?")

-and a split second later, a beautiful, lacy gown adorned her body. White, thin layers of snow-white fabric that was well fit, with a tight bodice, and her hair cascading in gorgeous curls around her face. Lucy looked cautiously down at her hands.

The dirt was gone, as if it had never been there in the first place.

"Wuh- You're kidding me, right?" Lucy blinked, recalling the tale of Cinderella. (Yes, she knew that Cinderella had a Fairy Godmother appeared out of nowhere and gave her pretty clothes and all that- but seeing it happen _right in front of her?_)

Lucy almost fainted, right there and then, but Mirajane chuckled and grabbed her arm, pulling her forward and into the night. As the blonde took a step, she realized that she was wearing _glass slippers_.

Well. She supposed she mustn't be surprised after all the crazy _crap_ that had just happened.

Outside, Mirajane sent Lucy to gather all sorts of random baubles ("Oh, yes, Lucy, that pumpkin over there will do. And those mice, how adorable! Bring them over. Oh, don't make that face, they're perfectly safe-"), all the while prattling like the normal Mirajane ("And I heard the prince really was a handsome man, _oh_, I'm so excited for you! Imagine what your babies would look like!")

A mere five minutes later, Lucy found herself staring at a pumpkin carriage and mice-horse-_things_. Mirajane was _still_ prattling ("And then he might even take you into his arms, whispering softly into your ear- oh, that would just be so romantic!")

"Well?" Lucy asked, breathlessly. It wasn't exactly every day that one of her best friends became a literal fairy (not to mention her _godmother_, how the hell did _that_ work?), she was turned from a slave into a princess in the blink of an eye, and pumpkins were carriages. Things just didn't work that way.

(Then again, Lucy reconsidered after recalling Natsu's fire-eating habits. _Learn something new every day…_)

"Well, off you go!" Mirajane smiled, all but shoving Lucy into the carriage, which quickly snapped into action and sped away.

Lucy poked her head out the window and waved to Mirajane, "Thank you for your help, Mira!"

"Oh, it's really no problem," Mirajane chuckled to herself, waving back. Then, a blink; she lowered her hand cautiously. "How did she know my name…?"

Another blink, and then Mira gasped frantically, eyes wide open.

"Ah! I forgot to tell her about the stroke of midnight!"

* * *

><p>The ride was swift- for what were formerly mice, the horses seemed extremely efficient. Lucy, her foot bobbing, one crossed over the other, frowned.<p>

_It felt like she was forgetting something_.

But try as she might, Lucy simply couldn't concentrate on what she could be forgetting. All she could think of was the lack of heat by her side, the missing hothead who was her comrade, her best friend, her-

"Don't even go there," Lucy whispered to herself as the carriage rolled to a stop. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out, careful not to break the delicate heels of the glass slipper, and entered the castle.

Even though she was in a tight situation, and her heart was clenching with the absence of Natsu, Lucy couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the looks she was receiving. Stuck-up, pompous fools that were probably of similar status to her father… looking at her like she was a woman, rather than a little girl who was harshly rejected by her father.

Lucy felt her self-satisfied smirk droop a bit on the side; brushing the thoughts away, she swept the room, looking for a head of fiery-pink hair, perhaps a glamorous announcement that a prince was about to enter. Certainly, Karen and Angel wouldn't be able to recognize her in all of her made-up glory!

All she received were stares and whispers of gossip. Lucy frowned in disappointment; here she was, in a glamorous ballroom that was polished to the point of perfection, dressed like a princess despite the slave work she had done, and Natsu was nowhere to be seen. There was a bit of childish disappointment there, and Lucy felt as if she had spent hours preparing for a prom dance, only to have been stood up.

_What if something happened_? Lucy wondered, her heart dropping to her stomach as two thrones at the front of the room caught her attention, seating who she could only assume as the King and Queen of the Kingdom. _Natsu could have been caught off guard, he might have attacked or something, and thrown in jail, and then-_

"Luuu-cy." A voice suddenly spoke behind her.

Stifling a shriek for perhaps the third time that night, Lucy felt a familiar, calloused hand brush her arm, and immediately relaxed.

"Y- you-what-y-w-Natsu!" Lucy stammered, and had to refrain from throwing herself into his arms and giggling like a schoolgirl. Turning to meet his eyes, which stared confidently back down at hers, she almost felt like they hadn't…

…well, fallen into a magical book, got stuck in a random, twisted tale, and were separated for a day.

"So you're okay," Natsu grinned boyishly, and Lucy had time to appraise the dragonslayer. His apparel was formal enough, but didn't exactly seem _princely_- but that was typical Natsu- he still kept his scarf, which seemed impervious to the dirty looks people kept giving the scruffy thing. Lucy regarded the scarf with affection.

"Of course I am," Lucy groaned, reaching up to rub her temples. "Don't ask stupid question! I was so worried about you, and-" Lucy pressed her lips together, wondering exactly how Natsu would react if she began to rant about how she _couldn't get him_ _out of her mind, for crying out loud_. Instead, she launched, "how do we get out of here? All I remember was opening the book, and poof!" She pouted, waving her arms. "We're in this stupid fairy tale."

"I-it's not stupid," Natsu quickly said; Lucy looked up in surprise, and had to do a double take. Was Natsu… _blushing_?

"Igneel used to tell me all sorts of stories," Natsu continued, looking everywhere but at her, flustered. Lucy bit back a smile- who knew that the battle-hungry Natsu had a soft spot for fairy tales? "And, well, I kinda figured-"

"You realized where you were?" Lucy couldn't stop the smile this time. And to think she had been worried about this. "But Natsu, how do we get out?"

She was answered by one of his nonchalant shrugs, and a careless grin. "I dunno. But we're here now, and we might as well do something…"

The two turned awkwardly to look towards the couples dancing on the floor, and Lucy looked shyly back to Natsu.

"Y-you mean… _dance_?" She squeaked, pushing her arms together nervously. "W-wait, are you serious? I mean, w-we, we can't possibly…"

"Dance?" Natsu laughed boisterously. "_Heck_ no! Look at that _huge_ buffet table! Let's go eat, Lucy!"

"…Oh. Right." Lucy almost smacked herself for her stupidity- leave it to Natsu to choose _food_ over a dance with a pretty girl. And to think she had gone through so much trouble just to come here, and when she was looking so nice, too-!

"I'm just kidding," Natsu smirked, breaking into her thoughts. "It happened in the fairy tale, right? Where the guy and the girl dance together? It'd be kind of cool, living out the fairy tale. Wudduya say?"

Lucy smiled a bit, putting her hands in his, and trying not to be disappointed that he hadn't said something more like, _'Of course, who wouldn't want to dance with the prettiest girl in the room?'_, or _'Just kidding! Wouldn't it be more romantic for us to dance together?_'

But of course, that was completely out of character. Lucy allowed herself to be content with just this; Natsu pulled her gently to the center of the room, and the two swayed side to side with the music.

"You can dance?" Lucy spoke to his chest (had he always been so _tall?_), hoping that the blood pounding in her heart wasn't rushing to color her face.

"Sorta," Natsu grinned as she twirled under his arm. "Erza made Gray and me learn how to when we were preparing for some infiltration mission…" The boy shuddered, and Lucy couldn't help but feel sympathy. She could just imagine it: the fiery redhead standing threateningly in front of the two boys, forcing them to hold each other awkwardly in the other's arms while swaying to the beat of Erza tapping her sword against the floor.

"You're good," she laughed in response, curling back towards him, and almost hitting his broad chest in the process. The two paused for a moment- Lucy felt the blush for sure this time, and she quickly pressed her face against his chest in hopes of hiding her face.

_Thump, thump. Thump, thump_.

His heart, Lucy realized with a goofy smile. _His heart was beating just as fast as hers_. Quite suddenly, Lucy couldn't help but wonder if the boy was as oblivious as he seemed, because at the moment, their eyes were locked on the other's, and his heated stare made her feel like she wasn't wearing anything at all.

What came next was the most disconcerting shock of the night.

A trumpet wailed melodically from the front of the ballroom, and the king stepped forward to announce in a booming voice, "And now, the Prince of the kingdom!"

As deafening cheers erupted around the room, Lucy gaped up at Natsu. "You. You're not the Prince?" For a split second, her heart stopped beating all together.

His eyes blinked back in surprise, almost sheepishly. "Well, I never said I was-"

"_Natsu_!" Lucy groaned. She could barely hear herself over the high-pitched keening noises that came from a crowd of girls surrounding who she could only assume to be the Prince. "That's _important_ information! Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's not like we have to live out the fairy tale exactly," Natsu replied, pushing his lower lip out in a pout. "We're not really important characters in the story, right? We could make our own ending…"

Natsu was suddenly too close for comfort; Lucy flushed a lovely crimson, pressing her palm against his chest. "Natsu," She grit out. "I'm _Cinderella_, Natsu, you dolt."

Natsu appeared to have gone momentarily deaf, tactfully ignoring her. Then, a sullen, "so what?"

"That means…" Lucy paused, suddenly hit with realization

_It's not like we have to live out the fairy tale exactly…_

"That's it!" Lucy burst out suddenly, attracting the attention of several onlookers. "Natsu, it's a _book_, right? And if we're _in_ the book, and we happen to be in one of the book's chapters, then all we have to do is read it to the end, right?"

Natsu gave her a blank, emotionless look.

"Natsu," Lucy _tsked_ impatiently. "If we finish the chapter, then we can probably move on. Meaning, all we have to do is act out the story!"

"Lucy," Natsu frowned, suddenly serious, and Lucy suddenly felt rather unsettled. "Don't tell me you're going to go to that bastard prince and-"

"Didn't you say it would be cool to act out the fairy tale?" Lucy bit back hotly. "Why do you have a problem against it now?"

"I-I don't have a problem," Natsu suddenly scowled deeply, pushing his face into his scarf, and averting his gaze. "Just… go do whatever. I don't care."

Before Lucy could say anything, Natsu had turned and gone to eat.

What was with his attitude? Lucy let out a little huff of her own and went to approach the huge crowd of women swooning over the Prince.

"E-excuse me," Lucy said quietly as the sea of women parted to look at her. Most of them seemed envious, and despite Natsu's reaction to the idea, Lucy felt a burst of pride being regarded with so much admiration. "The Prince?"

"Right here, my Lady. And what a beautiful Lady you are." A silken voice came from right behind her, and touched her shoulder lightly.

Lucy felt herself freeze. _No __**way**_**. **_No way, no way, no way_-

The girl turned to see Loki, smirking smugly at her tight, fancy dress, his trademark shades absent, and his usually shaggy hair cleaned up nicely.

"Shall we dance?" He asked flirtatiously, bending down to kiss her fingers lightly. From the corner of her eye, Lucy saw Angel and Karen, their jaws wide open. _Oh, revenge is __**sweet**_.

"I would be honored, my Prince."

The two made their way to where she and Natsu had been only moments before, and Lucy couldn't help but compare them.

_Of course_, she smiled lightly. _Loki would never compare to Natsu's heat_, _the stubborn boy._

"Your smile is lovely," Loki cooed to her, and the blonde immediately felt the aforementioned drop from her face when a loud, not-so-subtle cough sounded from behind the swaying couple.

Someone 'accidentally' knocked into Loki, stepping on his feet in the process.

"Natsu," she hissed lowly, knowing that the dragonslayer's finely tuned senses would pick up on her tone. _And hopefully, my murderous intent, too_. "What are you _doing_?"

Loki- well, the Prince- gracefully turned to Natsu with disdain; the pink-haired boy was dancing with another woman (who was giving him admiring looks, all of which he ignored in favor of Lucy), and offered a saccharine grin.

"Oh, I'm _sorry_," he said, the sarcasm making it clear that he wasn't sorry at all. "Did I _interrupt_ something?"

"No," Lucy growled, cutting off Loki, who was about to respond. "In fact, we're having an _amazing_ time, wouldn't you say, Loki?"

"Th-that's right…?" Loki tried, confused. "Hey, wait. How did you know my name? No one knows my real-"

"That's _wonderful_," Natsu shot back, unable to hide the snarl in his voice this time. "But did I ever say that I _cared_?"

"No," she snapped back, an abrupt anger driving her. "You didn't."

The two turned huffily back to their dancing partners, oblivious of the odd looks they were receiving.

Suddenly, the clock struck twelve.

Lucy's mind pricked, trying to remember what she was forgetting before-

_When the clock strikes twelve, the magic will wear off_.

"Oh, _crap_," Lucy yelped, shooting away from Loki's arms and down the polished marble. Something was hindering her journey, however; the glass slippers on the blonde mage's feet clacked irritatingly, and she was unable to move as she usually did. Irritated, she chucked the glass slippers off and onto the staircase, jumping down three steps at a time.

"Wait, lovely maiden! Please!" Loki's voice sounded from behind her, and she had to stifle a groan at the overly cliché lines.

"Stuff it, boy," she cringed. "I'm just trying to find my way out of a magical book of nightmares, thanks."

"Lucy!"

_That_ voice, however, made her pause.

Lucy couldn't resist Natsu, especially when his voice was so… _pleading_. When had Natsu actually been pleading? Despite the familiar feeling of magic swirling around her, and the feel of her beautiful dress turning into rags, Lucy paused.

Natsu, who easily overtook a gasping Loki, skipped the stairs completely, hopping off the balcony with his scarf billowing behind him. He landed with a light _tap_ on the ground in front of her.

"You forgot these," he said lowly, handing her the glass slippers she had dropped.

"W-wait… the beautiful girl from before," Loki gasped from behind the two, "she's a _lowly _peasant?"

"Shut up," Natsu and Lucy simultaneously intoned. Loki sulked.

"The slippers," Lucy bit her lip, feeling her previous rage at him ebb away. "Ah… thanks. For getting them, I guess." She put one on, and paused, fingering the other hesitantly.

"Let me guess," Natsu smirked. "Someone else has to put that one on for you."

"In _'Cinderella_', it was the Prince," Lucy laughed. "You're hardly a Prince."

"No," he disagreed smoothly, snatching the slipper away with uncharacteristic gentleness, and ducking down to face her feet. "I'm a dragon. And I'm ten times better."

"H-hey!" They heard Loki stammer from behind them, but Lucy couldn't bring herself to care as Natsu slipped the cool glass onto her feet, his teeth flashing widely.

"A perfect fit," he quoted from the story, and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"No, duh. I was wearing them earlier."

"Don't ruin the story," Natsu mocked right back. Lucy did a double take- Natsu was starting to glow an ethereal shine, and a glance at her own hands showed that she was too, as well.

"You kind of already ruined the story," the summoner chuckled. "We kind of skipped the whole '_search throughout the kingdom_' part. And, y'know, you're not a Prince."

The magic was tugging on them now (from behind them, Loki had fallen into a rather unbecoming faint; Angel and Karen could be heard squawking viciously along with a number of other people), beckoning them into the next chapter.

"Yeah, well, you're not '_the most sweet-faced, forgiving woman in the kingdom_'."

_Well,_ she mused to herself as she half-heartedly swatted at Natsu (who ducked), _we were never really the type for conventional fairy tales, anyway_.

She could have sworn she heard Natsu murmur a quick, "_Sorry about earlier_," but when the girl looked up, all that was evident was the fire mage's trademark, triumphant grin.

Lucy stuck out her tongue, but couldn't resist answering Natsu's grin as they were swept into the second chapter.

* * *

><p>AN: Thanks for all the comments for the prologue! Now, _**please review before you press that 'back' button!**_ I want to know how I'm doing; suggestions are always needed, and criticism is welcome. Any ideas for future Fairy Tales are needed!

Plus, you guys are just too awesome~


	3. Chapter Two: Sleeping Beauty

When Lucy came to, she was sitting in the middle of a lush forest, a peasant dress adorning her body as she sat comfortably in a clearing.

And if she hadn't yet gone insane, there seemed to be birds perched upon her lap. Surprised, she jumped up, startling the birds away with a squeal.

"A forest… could this be Snow White?" Lucy bit her lip, trying to recall the tale. "Ah, wait… it couldn't be. I probably wouldn't still be dressed like a commoner if I were." Lucy wrinkled her nose; her recent experience while wearing rags hadn't been a pleasant one, certainly.

Then this was… Sleeping Beauty?

Lucy glanced warily at the assortment of animals surrounding her, who seemed cautious now that she was hopping around like a maniac in frustration. _Singing_, the blonde thought. _Shouldn't there be singing_?

Opening her mouth shakily, Lucy let out what she thought to be a few notes.

Instead, what came out was something akin to a dying cat's screech, or perhaps a baying donkey. The animals, who had gone from entranced to cautious, immediately scrambled away to avoid this _clearly_ insane madwoman.

"H-hey," Lucy growled. "I'm not _that _bad-!"

"Not that bad?" A deep voice groaned from behind her. "Woman, even my _horse_ could sing better than you."

Turning slowly, expecting a Prince Charming (or perhaps just a very, very amused Natsu), Lucy instead saw Gray, who was wearing clothes for once, and very fine ones at that.

Upon looking at her, his eyes widened slightly. Lucy blinked and assumed a pose.

"Now what are you doing?" Gray deadpanned. "First you're wailing away in the forest while I'm trying to _nap_, and now you're pretending you're a…" he glanced at Lucy's lips, which she was trying to push out in what she thought to be a cute pout. "Fish?"

"You idiot!" Lucy seethed. Of all the princes to be stuck with, it had to be Gray? Even _Loki_ would have done better. And where the _bloody hell was Natsu_?

"Oi, oi," Gray seemed affronted now. "What did I ever do to you?"

"Exactly," she shot back without stopping to think of a proper comeback, and stomped away into the forest, leaving an incensed Gray behind. "Get lost."

So what if he was the Prince? Surely she could find Natsu and they could tweak the ending like they did in Cinderella… she pushed a few bushes away huffily, surprised that her feet seemed to know where she was going.

Which was good, because _she_ certainly didn't.

She knew nothing of her surroundings as the forest grew thicker, but Lucy found herself feeling as if she had walked this path a thousand times before, and found herself in front of a cottage. Almost hidden by the trees, and covered in moss, it exuded a rather fairy-tale feel, which Lucy thought was entirely appropriate.

_Sleeping Beauty_. Lucy cocked her head, cranking the gears in her mind in an effort to recall the tale. _If I'm not mistaken, this must be where the princess was taken by the good fairies?_

Taking slow, hesitant steps, the young wizard slowly walked forward and gently nudged the door open.

"WELCOME BACK, ROSE-CHAN!" A small, blue girl tackled Lucy, and Lucy barely had time to recover before two other dainty figures had pinned her against the wall of the cottage.

So it was Rose, huh? _Briar Rose_, the Sleeping Beauty. Well.

Looking around in mild surprise, Lucy found herself greeted with what seemed to be Juvia, Levy, and Mirajane- all three sporting small, wooden wands twisted with age, and large, ethereal wings.

"Oh, uh, I'm back. Hi." If these were her, ah, good fairy godmothers, then surely she was on the right track. All three of the women smiled, and Lucy allowed herself to relax under their warm gazes.

"We were so worried, Briar Rose!" Levy sobbed theatrically. "When you hadn't come back when you said you would, we-we-almost burnt the place down!"

(Taking a look at the mess around the cottage, Lucy didn't find that hard to believe.)

"Juvia thinks you should pay more attention to your curfew," Juvia instructed kindly, and Mirajane giggled in agreement.

"S-sorry," Lucy chuckled awkwardly at the attention. "I'll keep better track of time, next time around…"

"_What's with all the racket_?"

All four women froze at the deep, masculine voice that had sounded from the door. Lucy had to resist the urge to go pound her head against the wall.

_Oh, of all the fairy tales to go wrong, it had to be-_

Gray stepped into the threshold, looked around, and promptly settled himself on the first chair that he saw, which also happened to be covered in several shirts and a lacy bra.

"Don't just walk in and make yourself comfortable!" Lucy shrieked, as Mirajane, Levy, and (especially) Juvia eyed Gray with interest. "How did you even- why are you here?"

"You seemed to know where you were going," Gray raised a shoulder and let it fall. "And I needed someplace to stop and finish my nap, which you so rudely interrupted with your squawking."

As Lucy gibbered wordlessly, Gray nonchalantly stripped off his uniform, shirt, and proceeded to undo his belt. Mira had something along the lines of a minor heart attack- Levy cackled, and Juvia practically soldered herself to Lucy.

"Briar Rose," Juvia squeaked breathlessly. "Juvia thinks that… that _man_ is the most attractive thing to ever walk the planet!"

"Hey, Gra- you. Put your pants back on." Lucy glared; Gray looked down in surprise, cursed, and pulled his pants back on as Juvia fell into a dead faint. Lucy caught her, and fixated her eyes on Gray.

"You need to _leave_," Lucy stressed. _Where the heck was Natsu when you needed him?_ "Now would be a good time. I'll show you the door."

"Sheesh, you're such a pushy woman." Gray yawned. "And a terrible singer, at that." An eye cracked open and looked at her lazily. "It's a good thing you're cute- otherwise, you'd have no redeeming features."

Juvia instantly revived from her faint, shot up, and dragged Lucy aside, glowering.

"_Rose_," Juvia said menacingly. "_Does he mean to say that you, Briar Rose, are my rival in love?_"

Lucy shrank back immediately under Juvia's menacing stare, and whimpered, "No, no! H-he's all yours; you can have him! He's not even my prin-"

All of a sudden, something in Lucy's mind clicked. If she wanted to find Natsu (and somehow, she had no doubt that the sudden plan that had formulated in her mind would work), then all she had to do was play her cards right.

"J-Juvia," Lucy looked up eagerly at the now-placated Juvia, as Mirajane and Levy poked and prodded Gray. "If you do exactly as I say, then in the future, I _promise_ that he'll be yours. Okay?"

Juvia nodded, her expression comically changed and her face stained red, as Lucy began to fill her in on her plan.

* * *

><p>When Lucy stepped into the castle under the careful watch of Levy, Mirajane, and Juvia (who had vehemently disagreed with her choice to visit the castle until some persuasion), a strong sense of déjà vu momentarily overwhelmed her- she staggered, stopped for a moment to assure Levy, Juvia, and Mira that she was okay, and stepped into the lavish halls.<p>

"B-Briar Rose, is that you?"

Steeling herself at the sound of the voice, Lucy looked up to meet the eyes of her father, so familiar back from Magnolia.

What she didn't expect from the man, who was as elegantly dressed as ever, was the sudden uncharacteristic bear hug. What she didn't expect was the nostalgic wave of emotion she got when her _long dead mother_ appeared, a crown on her head, and joined the two.

What Lucy didn't expect was the tears, abrupt and overflowing, because…

…_if only my real family had never been so broken…_ she'd have to leave this. She'd move on to the next chapter, to get on with her life…

But as Lucy spent what seemed to be Briar Rose's birthday (the staff were bustling, the court was crowded, and the food was plentiful as were the decorations), she felt a sense of closure. These were her parents; this was what could have been.

There were ribbons thrown absolutely everywhere, with bouquets of sensual flowers crowding the halls with a relaxing scent that she couldn't name. Her parents led her with homely smiles that were so warm and comforting that she almost collapsed with the happiness.

It was almost as if she had been in this castle in her entire life; Lucy chatted with the staff nonchalantly, laughed with her parents, entertained the nobles with witty quotes from some of her favorite authors they had never heard of…

That was why when it came to be half past noon, Lucy turned her face when she excused herself from the table, so the King and Queen would not see her tears.

Picking up the royal skirts she had changed into upon arrival, Lucy stepped pass the stairs, two at a time, her small shoes clacking against the stone as she reached the tallest room in the tower, situated nicely away from the crowd that was celebrating the now absent Princess's birthday.

Pushing aside the room's door and entering the low-ceiling room, Lucy was greeted with the sight of a spindle. A sense of shame bubbled up, and she mentally apologized to the people she had been conversing with for what she was about to do.

_Juvia_, Lucy thought, not without some dread as she approached the craft, _I'm counting on you._

One second was all it took for the blood to begin rolling down her finger, and another three for her to slump to the floor, her eyes already drooping shut. The last thing she saw were the frantic Mirajane and Levy fluttering over her.

_Natsu…_

…_I'll be waiting._

* * *

><p>He couldn't explain the feeling- it was like an inescapable chain was bound to his chest, forcing him to its desired destination.<p>

Natsu had spent the last few hours searching for Lucy, climbing up trees and scaling buildings. His efforts had definitely proven fruitless- not only was there no screeching blonde mage, but he also had no idea what fairy tale they were in.

(Which _really_ pissed him off.)

That was why Natsu didn't bother protesting when the tugging feeling in his gut led him to what appeared to be a deathly quiet town, despite the fact that it made him uneasy. The dragonslayer said nothing, just followed his instinct until it led him to a castle, whose guards had apparently fallen asleep on the job. Natsu approached the vine-wreathed gate, ignoring its squeaks when he burst through and confronted the guards.

"Oi, wake up. Dumbass. Don't fall asleep." Natsu lit one of his fingers (he momentarily reveled in the warmth of the flame- in the last fairy tale, all of his magic had been null), and poked a guard's armor. His nail poked a tiny hole into the dented metal, but the guard said nothing, simply giving a snorting sort of snore in return.

Closer inspection, Natsu found, revealed that the entire court was in fact, asleep. The pink-haired boy found particular glee in this, momentarily distracting himself in the search for Lucy by eating all of the court's food, playing dress-up with some of the people's robes.

Needless to say, Natsu discarded the robes in favor of his regular tunic and scarf (both which had oddly turned a deep onyx, and unsettled him slightly, though he chose to ignore it), and left the nobles naked where they lay.

Natsu had gone back out to the courtyard to start eating some of the flames from torches that had been set up prior to his arrival, when a shout bellowed from the front of the cobblestones.

"Hey! What the _fuck_ are you doing, punk?"

Natsu heard the sound of a horse's hooves on gravel, and sent a sidelong glance to find Gray, dressed up in a gaudy mix of riding trousers and princely uniform.

"I could ask the same thing," Natsu replied immediately, not liking how Gray seemed to be the Prince. _Then Lucy..?_ Natsu refused to entertain that notion. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"None of your business, you freak. Were you… _eating_ that fire?"

"So, what?" Natsu cackled, tossing a fireball into his mouth. "Dude. Put your shirt back on."

"What the hell you talkin' bout? My shirt _is_- aw, fuck."

"Who sent you here?" Natsu growled again as Gray dismounted, his hand frozen between taking his shirt off and putting it back on.

"I'm not answering that," Gray replied coolly, and having decided to leave his shirt off, he drew his sword. "I don't like the looks of you."

"Could say the same thing," Natsu grinned in response, and allowed the feeling of fire to consume him. The heat was a warm welcome from the lack of Lucy's absence he'd been feeling; despite the fact that he was never cold, Lucy seemed to-

Whatever. Natsu narrowed his eyes, allowing himself to concentrate on Gray, who appeared to have the same stripping problem as he did outside the book- his pants were somehow already off, and he was backing away, eyes wide.

"Y-you're on _fire_. What kind of demon-?" Then, having apparently remembered something important, the ice in his eyes returned, and Gray let out a battle cry, charging with the sword.

"I'm not a _demon_," Natsu snarled. "I'm a _dragon_." Ignoring the-_ what was that, recognition?-_ in Gray's eyes at the word, he continued, "and what kind of gay fuck are you supposed to be? A pansy stripper?"

The two stopped in their assault, offset by the glares the other was giving.

"Your hair is _pink_, man. You don't have a right to say that."

"Yeah, well," Natsu prickled, "your… butt is showing. _Jeez_, don't you wear underwear?"

(There was a pause in their pseudo-fight as Gray struggled to put his pants back on.)

"Fuck off," Gray said lowly, readjusting his sword to a more comfortable grip. "I need to get to that castle behind you. If you would just be as kind as to move aside…"

"What's in the castle?" Natsu felt his voice become rough, gravelly. "And how is it your business?"

"I know it's not _your_ business," Aggravation seeped into Gray's tone, and he leapt forward bravely, even as Natsu let his hands form a fist, dirty nails digging into his palms as the skin lit.

Natsu could barely hear his own roar over the din of battle, but he knew it sounded like a dragon. Limbs alight, he met Gray fist for fist.

A quick jab to the stomach made it clear that this world's Gray wasn't shabby, despite the fact he was buck-naked. Natsu feinted a left hook, barely avoiding the metal's sharp sting, and crouched down low.

The gravel crunched as Natsu let his body draw back. "Fire Dragon's…"

_Wait_.

Natsu, for the first time in any battle, hesitated. This Gray, despite his intentions, was still his nakama, but lacking the magical resistance and abilities. Any hit, any scratch from Natsu could prove fatal.

Fairy Tail members did not kill.

The movement, no matter how short, was quick and intense. Natsu snapped back to attention in time to deftly deflect the sword; this Gray's swordsmanship was not bad, but nowhere near Fiore's Erza. Natsu swatted away the flat of the blade, kicked it up, and grabbed the worn hilt before it could impale him.

Gray, who had shot up to grab the weapon, froze. Natsu swung the tip of the gleaming blade against Prince Gray's jugular.

"Now tell me," the Dragon told the defeated Prince. "Why are you here?"

Gray seemed unsure whether or not to answer; his coat was halfway off. Natsu blew out in irritation.

"I'm not your enemy! I'm… look," Natsu had to bit his tongue to stop himself from saying _rival_, _nakama_, or anything of the like. "I'm on your side, okay?"

"You're a dragon," Gray accused. "Or, whatever you are. Dragons are never…" His lips cinched to the side as his position slowly sunk in. His head shifted uncomfortably against the wet rocks.

Natsu cleared his throat impatiently; Lucy was waiting. As if in response to his thoughts, Gray looked flustered and admitted, "This weird blue chick told me that there was a girl asleep in this castle, and was some random spell that put the entire kingdom to sleep, too. Or whatever."

_Asleep… the entire castle_… Natsu was suddenly much more attentive.

"She's supposed to be blonde, with _huge_ titties." Gray rolled his eyes.

_That was Lucy, alright_. "No way," Natsu blurted before he could pause. Lucy was asleep, here? And he hadn't even seen her? This was… Sleeping Beauty, wasn't it?

_And the Prince was supposed to kiss her_.

Gray misunderstood Natsu's reaction and guffawed. "I know, right? I saw her earlier today, she's pretty damn cute. But I can't help but wonder how the hell she got here- _hey_!"

Natsu had fisted his hand in Gray's shirt (which had miraculously managed to get on and_ stay on_ this time), and lit it on fire. It was only Gray's superb stripping skills that saved him before the cloth was completely gone.

"What the fuck?" Gray demanded, and Natsu had the urge to smack Gray upside the head, though prudence dictated against it.

He wasn't Lucy, though; so he did.

"Prince Gray," Natsu grunted. "You're not _touching_ the princess."

"Princess?" Gray echoed. "You mean that blonde girl with the huge boobs is a princess?"

That was definitely the wrong thing to say; drawing his fist back, Natsu knocked out Gray with one clean bow to the jaw.

"Damn it," Natsu huffed. "If only you'd go down that easily back in Fairy Tail."

_And speaking of Fairy Tales…_ Natsu slung Gray over his shoulder and headed off into the castle.

* * *

><p>Natsu did not bother being gentle when he blithely deposited Gray into one of the castle's murky cells. A few tendrils of dust puffed upwards, but Natsu ignored the now hacking and coughing Gray, and slammed the door shut.<p>

Ignoring the sluggish protests coming from Gray (who, in his panic, had stripped down to his pants for the fifth time that day), Natsu bound up the steps three at a time.

It wasn't like he was… particularly worried for _Lucy _or anything. He was Natsu, who just plowed ahead despite the odds, always protecting his friends.

(He hadn't been incensed at the idea of Gray kissing Lucy. At all. Just… yeah.)

He was just worried for the wellbeing of his nakama. Trying not to break the doors in the process, Natsu slammed each and every room open, checking for any hint, just _some_ hint of golden hair, perhaps her pale skin, or just the sound of her breathing.

He found her in the fifty-seventh room he searched.

(It totally wasn't weird that he had been able to smell her within twenty feet of the door. Or that he even knew her scent.)

The young dragonslayer entered the bedchamber awkwardly, almost expecting Lucy to jump out of the large bed that dominated the room, and shout at him to respect a girl's privacy. There was nothing, except a tiny, girlish snore that made him crack a grin.

"Sheesh. You're so weird, Luce."

"_You're one to talk_," a familiar voice rang disapprovingly from behind him.

Refusing to be surprised, Natsu rolled a burly shoulder around in a noncommittal shrug, and grinned at Mirajane, who was standing behind the armoire with Levy.

(_Levy, a __**fairy**__,_ Natsu snorted at the sight. _She was so _short_ that it actually… fit. Pfft._)

"Don't tell me _you're_ the Prince that's supposed to save Rose-chan," Levy said condescendingly. Natsu prickled as she broke him down; "I mean, your hair is _pink_ and _dirty_, your clothes are _hardly_ fit for a Prince, your gait is about as nimble as an elephant's, and don't even get me started on charisma-"

"So what if I'm not the Prince?" Natsu interrupted cockily. "Who said it had to be a Prince who woke up Luc- er, Rose?"

"Briar Rose deserves a little better than a ruffian like you," Levy scoffed, and Mirajane rolled her eyes playfully.

"I don't know, Levy. If you look past those things, he's actually pretty good-looking…"

Natsu momentarily swelled with pride-

"Yeah," Levy snorted. "If good-looking could be considered as pleasant as a gnat's piss."

-and deflated instantly.

"Whatever," He pushed out his lip, refusing to become despondent in response. "Just tell me what I have to do to wake up Lu- the Princess."

Oh, wait. He already knew the answer to that. A kiss…?

"A kiss," Levy echoed his thoughts, and cocked an eyebrow. "But I'll be damned if I let someone like _you_- hey!"

Natsu had approached the boudoir's bed, and bent onto his knees to stare intently at Lucy's sleeping face, leaning his dirty arms on the sheets. Ignoring the squawks of protests from Levy (though neither her nor Mirajane could quite dispel the silly grins on their faces), he licked his lips in anticipation.

With the same reckless abandon as he always possessed, Natsu leaned in to-

_Wait, what the hell was he doing_?

Jerking his head back so quickly he nearly got whiplash, Natsu considered- yes, _considered_- the situation.

Sure, it was easy beating up Gray or the random Dark Guild member, maybe a perverted ape or two. It was easy to ignore everything and just be Natsu, because _what the hell, having no cares in the world? What a great idea!_

But-and it scared him that he was actually _thinking_ about something like this- romance? Most of the girls in his life were pretty damn scary; and S-Class missions had always been much more involving and interesting. To be frank, he'd never given the subject of romance a thought before, at all.

(Natsu considered the options; he could face the situation like it was just any other fight, and go along with the flow and wait to see what happened. _Or_, he could blush like a stumbling, idiotic teenager and-)

W-well, it wasn't like he particularly _disliked_ Lucy. He just didn't have… experience?

(Stubbornly, Natsu brushed off any thoughts of maybe-jealousy that may or may not have included Loki, Gray, or- yeah. Whatever.)

Bolstering up whatever courage he had (or lack thereof- he would decide later) Natsu assumed what he thought to be a kissing face. However, within just an inch of Lucy's face-

"He looks like a… _fish_," the fire mage heard Levy whisper to Mirajane evilly.

With a twitch, Natsu made to turn around. "W-what the hell-?"

His lips brushed skin.

* * *

><p>Juvia nervously peeked around the corner, turning to eye the handsome Prince again.<p>

(He probably would have been a lot more charming were he not nude, but Juvia wasn't complaining.)

Her fifth peek, however, he saw her, and immediately jumped to the cell's barred door.

"H-hey!" He grouched. When she didn't respond, he enunciated, "I know you're there! Don't pretend to hide! Why'dya send me here if-if you knew that I'd get captured?"

"J-Juvia did not know!" Juvia stepped from behind the moldy stone to retort hotly. "Juvia would have never sent you here otherwise! I was simply told t-to set you free!"

Gray blinked.

"W-who? Ah, never mind." He shook it off impatiently, and met her gaze. "Look, can you get me out of here?"

_H-his gaze…_

Entranced, Juvia flushed and with a wave of her wand, the door clanked open. _He was too much to resist! _

"Ah, thanks!" With a crooked smile, Gray stepped out of the dingy cell and met her gaze. "My name's Gray. So mind telling me what's going-"

_He was smiling at her! The Prince Gray was smiling at Juvia_!

Juvia melted into Gray's flustered arms.

"H-hey! W-what's wrong with you?"

…

"O-oi! Answer me!"

* * *

><p><em>In a dream, there was someone warm over her, breathing in as she breathed out, his lips brushing ever-so-slightly against her skin…<em>

There was laughing in the background.

Lucy cracked open one eye, and then another one, distracted from her dream despite herself.. It surprised to her to see a- _oh, my god, was Natsu __**blushing**_?- slumped Natsu, amused Mirajane, and a cackling Levy.

Her cheek was tingling.

Raising a sleepy hand to her face, Lucy was stunned to hear Levy snort, "I can't _believe_ you. You _missed!_"

"Sh-shut up!" Natsu snarled viciously, and Lucy blinked. _No, that wasn't right. He _couldn't_ be blushing. That just wasn't a Natsu thing._

Mirajane had clasped her hands to her face, saying, "so despite all appearances, he really is just an innocent little boy after all!"

"I'm not a little boy!" Natsu hissed.

"Natsu," Lucy cut in, her eyes growing big. "You… you really-?"

There was _that_ presence again; just like in Cinderella, there was the feeling of magic enveloping her soul, tugging at it to move on. One look at Natsu told her that he was feeling the same thing, too.

"So what if I did?" He pouted childishly, and Lucy had to stifle a giggle. "It's not like it meant anything!"

Her smile drooped, but she recovered quickly enough to tease, "is that so? Hmm?"

Natsu looked at her, his eyes softening infinitesimally when they met hers, and she felt her own eyes light up in response. It wasn't so bad, after all. Something inside her warmed; the secure feeling he gave her… it was better than a kiss, somehow. Levy and Mirajane watched, dumbfounded, as Natsu and Lucy were sucked into the next chapter.

Levy was the first to recover.

"Mira," she chortled. "Did you get a look at those bedroom eyes? They're _totally_ together."

* * *

><p>AN: This was surprisingly hard to write… anyhow, **please leave a comment/constructive criticism before you leave!** Any feedback from you guys is valued, as always; every little thought counts!

And as for Natsu's predicament… well, in any case, he'll be the Prince of the story sooner or later~ Thanks for reading, you guys!


	4. Chapter Three: Rapunzel

Natsu, in contrast to having woken up to the next chapter as he had before, found himself falling from the middle of nowhere and into a crowd of people who jerked, startled.

The dragonslayer took a moment to rub his sore bottom (cobblestone was not exactly the most comfortable surface), and looked up to meet the curious gazes of the surrounding villagers.

If Natsu had taken the time to notice the village, he would have seen it was quite homely, if not quaint. However, his attention was drawn by the clamoring people surrounding him.

"Wow! Look at his clothes-!"

"Hey, doesn't he look a lot like the-"

"_Pink_ hair…?" (He chose to ignore this comment.)

Natsu experimentally flicked his fingers- a snap of clawed nails revealed no visible spark, and Natsu deflated.

_No powers, _again? And just when he had gotten them back, too…

And Lucy- she was separated from him _again_? Natsu stumbled to his feet, ignoring the gaudy clothes that adorned him, and pushed the people aside.

"Ah, excuse me young lad, but how did you-?"

"Hey, old gramps," Natsu cut off the man addressing him impatiently, invoking a flinch and a glare that he ignored. "Have you seen this girl? I, uh, I need to… do… something...?"

_Well, it was _halfway _believable._

"What does this girl you speak of look like?" The man responded stiffly; Natsu couldn't help but bite back a retort at the formal way of talking he had. _Sheesh. Lucy wasn't this stiff._

_Right. Lucy_.

"Well… she's got these huge…" Natsu helplessly made round gestures from his chest, and man rolled his eyes- young people these days. Figured that would be what they noticed first.

(However, if he had met Lucy firsthand, he would have seen that they were _impossible_ to miss, and Natsu was simply stating the facts.)

"We don't really have anyone _quite_ like that," the man said as the crowd dispersed, uninterested in the topic. "But we do have someone rather like that. Quite pretty, too."

_Lucy was pretty… right? Had he ever even paid attention to that kind of thing? _"Yeah," Natsu bobbed his head excitedly, his face lighting up. "Can you tell me where she is?"

The man mumbled something that sounded a lot like, _'oh, the glories of youth'_, and directed Natsu to the town's library.

Natsu, busy with thoughts of Lucy, didn't hear the man wonder aloud why the rumored wandering Prince had fallen from the middle of the sky into their village.

* * *

><p>The dragonslayer barged into the small, musty library, ignoring the outbursts of the bookkeeper. Mustering his voice as loud as it could go, Natsu roared, "LUCCYYYYYYY!" In the process, the fire mage managed to nearly knock down several bookshelves. (As it was, Natsu tripped over the library's rug and hit his head on the edge of the bookkeeper's desk.)<p>

"And _what_ do you think you're doing?"

Natsu's eyes strayed upwards to meet inquisitive green ones that, to his disappointment, were _definitely not Lucy's_. However, he wasn't too far off.

"Levy!" Natsu grinned, glad to see a familiar face. "What're ya doin here?"

Levy quirked an eyebrow; any normal person would have shied away, but Natsu simply laughed at her expression.

"I don't know what you could possibly want in this library," Levy shrugged. "Have you given up on your quest to search for a nice book instead?"

"Quest?" Natsu tilted his head, confused. "What quest?"

Levy offered an incredulous stare, the corner of her mouth twitching upwards. "You're kidding me," she said teasingly. "The Prince himself has forgotten about his quest for the lovely maiden of the hidden tower?"

"Wuh?" was Natsu's intelligent reply.

"I suppose you're here to do some research then," Levy nodded, sure she had hit the mark. Natsu gave an agreeable shrug as she continued, "if you're looking for some information on the Golden Maiden, then I can help you."

"Who're you talking to, Beauty?" The bookkeeper came up from behind the two, his eyes widening in recognition as he met Natsu's gaze. "Oh, excuse me. Was I interrupting you?"

"I told you not to call me that name," Levy said lightheartedly, though upon closer scrutiny, Natsu saw her lips twitch down in modest distaste. _Beauty? That rang a bell…_

In any case, Natsu saw that Lucy wasn't in the library; in fact, Levy was the only one who seemed to be there.

"Ah, well. Thanks anyway, I guess." Natsu pushed out his lower lip, and then tacked on, "scratch that. You were no help at all."

"Would it kill you to be a little grateful?" Levy said, her scathing tone marred by the friendliness in her voice. "Well, in any case, you might want to head West from here. I heard that's where the Golden Maiden's tower was, but you never know about rumors… I'd try there, anyway." Levy shrugged, and wandered back into the shelves of the room.

Natsu strolled out, wondering exactly who the Prince he supposedly was, was looking for. His ears twitched as he left, catching the bookkeeper's address to Levy.

"Beauty, don't tell me you're reading yet _another_ story about that dreadful Beast in his enchanted castle."

"You never know," Levy laughed. "They may be true."

* * *

><p>As Natsu traveled down the dirt road, he came across a few travelers who gave him inquiring looks, occasionally asking if he had made any progress on his search for the rumored girl who lived in the tower.<p>

_Well, that certainly sounded familiar._ Natsu gave a nonchalant shrug, and waved the irritated travelers goodbye as he continued down the trial, wondering why he couldn't have Happy with him to fly him faster, or at least his dragonslayer magic to give him an extra boost…

_Or Lucy, to keep him company_. Natsu scowled, kicking the ground irritably as the hours wore by.

The next town Natsu passed through was small and quiet; the people who lived there crowded him curiously, and Natsu was able to pick out yet a few more familiar faces. Pushing his way excitedly through the sizable crowd that had gathered around him, picking at his royally decked clothes (which had become worn through his poor treatment of them) and wondering why he had traded his original, royal silk shoes for ragged, leather sandals. Natsu paid them no heed.

"Mirajane! Lisanna! Elfman! Nice to see you guys!" Natsu cackled boisterously, enveloping the three siblings in a wide hug. The small crowd gave a start, and began to murmur all at once.

"Why, I'm honored, Your Grace," Lisanna gave a small bow, her eyes teasing. "That someone as great as you has heard of us, who are from a town so small."

"Don't be too modest," Mirajane teased, stepping forward to bow next to Lisanna to the bewildered Natsu, unused to the treatment. "We _are_ the best herbalists in the area. In any case, I'm honored to meet you, my Prince. What brings you so off far your course?"

"Off course?" Natsu scowled. "I was told to go this way to look for Lu- the Golden whatchamacallit."

"A real man should have a sense of direction," Elfman snorted. "Hadn't you already known that the tower was supposed to be hidden in the Forbidden Forests?"

"Forbidden Forests?" Natsu echoed. Lisanna giggled.

"Of course," she cooed. "Even we, who live far from the main kingdoms, have heard of your quest for love." Lisanna giggled, and Natsu felt his face flush slightly. "It's so _romantic_."

_Lucy? Love?_ He hadn't thought of Lucy like that before, not in that way…

The pink-haired boy's thoughts backtracked to the accidental kiss in the previous chapter. It wasn't that Lucy had been particularly pretty or anything- well, no one could deny that she was _attractive_, but she'd always been Lucy to him-

"Aarrgh! What am I _thinking_?" Natsu seethed, smacking his own head. Lucy was _Lucy_. It was silly, to think of his friend that way, even if it wasn't like she was _bad-looking-_

"And he's already daydreaming about his true love," Mirajane sighed- _aw, crap. He'd forgotten they were there_. "It's so adorable!"

"Like a true man!" Elfman bawled agreeably, and Natsu definitely felt his face heat up past normal temperatures.

"And he's already red with embarrassment," Lisanna pointed out in a sing-song voice. "He's so _innocent_~"

"Am _not_," Natsu protested hotly. "Just tell me where I can find this chick." _If this girl wasn't Lucy, he was going to smoke someone to ashes. Burn them to a crisp. Maybe turn red in girly embarrassment and hide in shame like a-_

"Imagine what he'll be like when he actually _meets_ her," Mirajane continued, much to Natsu's embarrassment. "He might actually faint from the sheer joy!"

"I've already met-!" Natsu bit his tongue to prevent himself from continuing. _If Lucy caught me ruining the story, then she'd _kill_ me._ (Natsu shuddered at the thought of the feisty blonde, and her violent tendencies.)

At the thought of Lucy, the boy's head began to spin again. Eager to be rid of the _completely, utterly, random, out-of-character_ thoughts, Natsu repeated his query.

"Well, no one knows where the Hidden Tower really is, but we've heard of its general vicinities. I'm sure you're not the only one who's gone looking for it, you know, and rumors spread like the most contagious of diseases." Mirajane paused thoughtfully, a finger delicately tapping against her chin.

"Why don't you come by our herbal shop to rest for the night? You must be tired." Lisanna smiled, and Natsu smiled back in response. These people were different, but they were still clearly his comrades.

_But Lucy_…

"Thanks, but I'll pass," Natsu grinned toothily. "Something tells me that this chick is waiting impatiently for me, ready to kick my ass if I'm a second late and stamping around like a brat."

The three siblings blinked at his carefree attitude, but bade the dragonslayer goodbye as he set off once more, despite the fact that the sun's vivid hues had turned into rosy shades as it began to set. Natsu, used to training for long, hard hours, found this walk a piece of cake.

_It was still boring, though_.

"Jeez, Lucy." Natsu let out an impatient breath as he turned away. "Where _are_ you?"

* * *

><p>"Jeez, Natsu. Where <em>are<em> you?" Lucy huffed, slamming her head into the pillow with a soft _poff_. She had a _major_ headache.

Lucy had woken up, covered in spreads much too like the ones from the Heartphilia mansion for her liking. There was a lacy, frilled canopy that was draped frothily over the large bed that Lucy pushed away in distaste.

"Hello? Anyone there?" Lucy stepped off the mattress, her voice echoing, her bare feet pushing into the plush carpet of the room, and suddenly tripped over something. Nearly biting her tongue, Lucy hissed in surprise and looked down.

"What the-? No_ way_," the Spirit mage gaped as her eyes trailed to her feet; entangling them were long, ribbon-like locks of gold hair, the strands woven around her body like thread. And _her hair trailed around the entire room_.

"Rapunzel," Lucy's mouth dropped open. "I'm in _Rapunzel_. And my hair's _long_."

A pause as she considered the situation.

"What a fashion disaster! Who would be crazy enough to let someone grow their hair out so-"

"Oh, you've woken up, my dear," a high tremolo sang through the room, and Lucy's nose wrinkled at the oddity (so _this_ was who had let poor Rapunzel grow her hair out so long. Somehow, she wasn't surprised), "and you've tripped over your hair once again. You simply _must_ stop that."

From the rafters of the room, a lanky man hopped down easily as Lucy's mouth opened slightly. Long robes fluttered around his stick-like body; his grimy mouth twitched downward in a disgusting grimace.

"M-Master Jose?" Lucy stammered as the man _tsked_. "Y-you-!"

"Now, now, my dear. Haven't I told you to call me _Father_?" His laugh rang into Lucy's ears, and she had to resist gagging.

"Ah- _Father._" Lucy grit through her teeth as he moved to spread the window curtains aside; it was the only window in the cramped room, as lavish as it was decorated. Lucy felt almost claustrophobic. "You don't suppose I could… step outside for a bit? I feel it would… do me good to get some fresh air."

The atmosphere thickened ever so slightly- Jose's eyes narrowed infinitesimally. "Is that so, honey?"

Lucy felt almost naked with the absence of her keys; she missed the weight of their security, and would have gladly traded her clothes for them, if it meant being able to defend herself. "Yes, Father," Lucy murmured. "Don't you think that a girl like me could use some space to stretch out?" She stretched her arms to emphasize her point; Jose didn't look convinced.

"Don't be silly, honey," Jose said with what was probably meant to be a placating tone; Lucy shuddered. "Why don't you just stay here? You'd get lost so easily, sweetie, and heaven knows what I would do if you got lost."

Lucy turned away, her brown eyes tracing the outlines of the room as Jose watched carefully.

"Now, just you wait. I'll bring back some cookies for you, alright?"

"Yes, Jo- Father," Lucy murmured.

_She'd find a way to escape._

* * *

><p>Natsu ventured through the overgrowth, grumbling the entire way.<p>

It wouldn't have been so bad if there were monsters to battle, Natsu mused as he imagined what it would be like to just burn the forest down clear. If only his dragonslayer powers were still intact.

(Somehow, Natsu found himself thinking that if Lucy were there with him, he would have gladly waited a day- or chapter- or two for his magic… but of course, that was a silly thought.)

(It-it wasn't as if he missed Lucy. That was just stupid.)

"Graah! Where are you, Lucy?" Natsu groaned irritably.

There were several moments of silence; Natsu banged his head against the trunk of a tree.

As if in response, the image of the smiling blonde popped up in his head- Natsu scowled.

When had he started thinking about Lucy so _much_? Sure, they were stuck in the book, and _sure_, they had to finish the chapter to move on, and so far it seemed that he needed Lucy for that, but she was popping up so much in his head that he was going _insane_.

Lucy had always talked about things like 'destiny' and 'true love', but of course that was utter nonsense. The only thing Natsu had to do with destiny was finding Igneel and having found Lucy-

_No, no, no_.

Lucy was a friend. Like Erza was a friend, and like Gray was a friend, and like Mirajane was a friend, and like Lisanna was a friend, except Lucy was just his _best friend_.

"And that's that," Natsu snarled at his own thoughts. "Lucy's my best-friend-_weirdo_, and that's that."

There was no response besides the unsatisfying twittering of birds.

"Right, Natsu nodded sagely. "And that's all."

Silence.

A sigh.

Seeing as how much it was hurting his brain to think (and he totally wasn't in denial or anything. Denial? Pfft. What was that? It sounded yummy), he evaded his thoughts. "I'll find you somehow! Tower or not." Nodding his confidence, the boy proceeded into the thick undergrowth, never noticing the dark eyes that followed him.

* * *

><p>When Jose had left, Lucy had scrambled to the towering bookshelves that covered an entire side of the room, and after an hour or so, her searches proved fruitful.<p>

Leafing through a few pages showed the many different dialects of Rapunzel- in many, the girl let down her long hair so that the visiting Prince as well as tower-keeper could climb up her hair like a rope, but Lucy immediately winced at the thought- whether it was fifty feet or five inches, the blonde was tender-headed through and through.

_But that wouldn't be a problem, right?_ Lucy tried to reassure herself, tracing the book's edge with thin lips. _He could just jet himself up the tower with his fire magic, or something_.

One of the adaptations made Lucy blush from her head to her toes: Rapunzel, giving her secret away to the evil witch (or in her case, Jose- Lucy rather thought that the difference wasn't really _that_ big) by accidentally revealing a pregnancy from the visiting Prince when asking for a sating for her odd cravings. Lucy listlessly fiddled with her fingers.

Imagining Natsu as a lusty, hormonal, _normal_ teenage boy was like trying to imagine… an Aquarius that wasn't moody. But once Lucy (who, as usual, had quite the overactive imagination) had the image in her head, she couldn't get it _out_.

Natsu, his warm body over hers… his lips tracing hers tenderly… his eyes tender as he-

"GAAH!"Lucy smacked herself. "What the hell are you _thinking_, Lucy?" Natsu wasn't like that at _all_. The closest thing he'd probably ever come to a kiss in his life was eating something. The last time Lucy had seen anything close to _lust_ in his eyes was when Natsu was eyeing a fireball.

_Still_… putting the dusty volume back on the shelves, Lucy fingered the hair at the nape of neck, the strand trailing long past her legs and pooling around her feet. If she were to follow the _regular_ fairy tale to the letter…

Lucy grabbed one of the ribbons that adorned the multiple dressers in the room, and began the long, arduous process of braiding her hair, imagining how different the silence would be if Natsu were there.

"He'dprobably burn the whole place down from the lack of space," she snorted. "Or maybe he'd burn my hair. Perhaps he'd rummage the place for food like he does in my apartment." Her mouth twitched upwards in a fond smile as she braided down the trial of golden locks.

"What was that, Rapunzel?" A voice abruptly reached Lucy's ears, breaking into her thoughts; Lucy yelped and quickly finished the braid.

"N-Nothing…?"

"_Rapunzel!_ Let down your hair!" The shrill voice of Jose rang up the stone tower. Lucy flinched with a pout, and peeked timidly over the blocks of the window.

"Wait. Are you _serious_?" Lucy whined. "But my- my _hair_! Think of the _pain_!"

Jose looked at Lucy uncomprehendingly- "But my _dear_, you've done this a million times before-!"

Lucy looked at him, and couldn't really see anything more than the long-gone leader of Phantom and her captivity in the tower, and blurted out the first thing that came to her mind:

"Uh, I… have to… go to the bathroom. Sorry!"

_Ew. Was that the best she could come up with?_ With a squeal, Lucy pushed herself away from the window, leaving a flabbergasted Jose to gawk at the tall tower.

Beady eyes narrowed; Jose's memory trailed back to the odd, pink-haired boy from the forest. Perhaps he was the _'he'_ that his Rapunzel was referring to earlier?

Jose smiled sadistically and decided to himself that good things came to those who waited.

* * *

><p>Natsu pushed aside yet another branch and was finally rewarded with the sight of a huge, rather lopsided tower that hung over a glade, a small, grassy field surrounding its edges. Moss had laced itself between the cracks; as Natsu approached the tower, he picked at it with a nail, not amused.<p>

The grass was long overgrown, with weeds poking out through the strands. It was obvious that the place was poorly taken care of- it seemed at that the famed tower hadn't been used for years.

So. He was finally here. Then-

"WHERE ARE YOU, LUCY?"

"N-Natsu?" Came a high-pitched squeak. Natsu jumped back in surprise, eyeing the tower- the source of the noise- carefully.

"Lucy!" Natsu gaped. "You turned into a _tower_! What fairy tale is this?"

"I'm not the tower, you idiot!" Lucy's voice came again, and Natsu frowned in confusion. The voice was _obviously_ coming from the tower. Unless…!

"Oh! You're up there!" Natsu's eyes ran up the ragged stones to meet Lucy's own warm, amber eyes, and suddenly, he felt all his previous tension and irritation fade. _Well, _that_ was weird._ Natsu ignored the sudden warmth he felt, and grinned proudly. "As usual! I'm a genius!"

"Argh, Natsu, you're _hopeless!_" Lucy's blonde head poked over the edge of the towering… well, tower, and Natsu couldn't stop the huge grin that spread over his face.

"I'm better than _you_, you weirdo. Stuck in a tower. How'dya get yourself up there in the first place?" Natsu stuck out his tongue childishly.

"I don't _know_!" Lucy wailed, and suddenly looked bashful, holding her palm carefully to her stomach. "Hey, Natsu. Do I look… er, pregnant?"

Natsu blinked, the good mood vanishing in an instant. _Who would have-?_ "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Ah, ah, good. Never mind." Lucy laughed nervously, and Natsu decided to brush off the matter. "So, can you get me out of here?"

"You weirdo," Natsu scoffed. "Just make like the fairy tale and use your suuuuuuper-long hair to get yourself out."

"But it _hurts_!" The girl whined, clutching at her head protectively. "Can't you come up with something else-?"

A bony hand suddenly clutched at Natsu's shoulder; Natsu, brash as ever, ignored the foreboding spreading throughout his body and flipped around, his arm drawing back for a punch.

Jose of Phantom met his gaze with a cool look (or at least he was trying- it came across as more of a half-flinch, half-pout) and deftly dodged the attack.

"So _you're_ the one my Rapunzel was talking about?" Jose purred, stroking his moustache slowly. Personally, he thought it was very… _evil_ of him. Very _debonair, _very-

"Lucy was talking about me?" Natsu sent a smirk up the tower, and was rewarded with the sight of Lucy as she turned tomato-red and vehemently denied the claim. "Seems like I'm so cool that you can't stop thinking about me! Gyahaha!"

(Natsu chose to leave out the part where _she_ haunted his thoughts, as well.)

"Shut up!" Lucy pushed out her lip adorably. "It's not like that- _watch out!_"

Natsu turned around in time to push Jose's sword away and glared viciously. "Don't interrupt me! I was talking to Lucy!"

"You must be the rumored traveling Prince who was searching for my dear Rapunzel! I'll never let you have her," Jose hissed. "She's _mine!_"

Lucy looked doubtful. Natsu gagged.

Jose drew a sword from a sheath strapped to his thin back- Natsu ignored the whimpers from Lucy, and sidestepped the cleaving blows, ducking when called for and batting the flat of the blade with his palm.

"Hey, hey, are you okay, Lucy?" Natsu glanced up questioningly as he sidestepped yet another swing. "You're making these weird sounds… like Happy when he's hungry!" Natsu beamed and emitted a sound that sounded somewhat like _eeek, eeek_.

"I'm fine!" Lucy attempted to sound calm- her voice broke spectacularly over an octave or two. "More importantly- _watch your head!_"

"What are you talking about?" Natsu scowled, ducking a millisecond before Jose's sword brushed the top of his hair- a single strand managed to stray from his head, but Natsu was otherwise intact. "You should have more faith in me, Lucy! I've fought _much_ harder opponents than this freak!"

Jose protested loudly, but the two ignored him.

"H-how can I _not_ worry?" Lucy retorted hotly. "You're like, _inches_ away from this ridiculous girly-man trying to cut off your head!"

"See, if I had my powers, this would be done already," he yawned as another blow missed him by centimeters. "But I don't. So I'll just wait until he gets tired and knock him out with one blow!" He cackled loudly.

"And what about _me_?" Lucy twitched. "Gonna forget about me or something?"

Natsu gave a pause at this, turning to face Lucy. "Well, I suppose I could just _leave_ you here. I mean, I only came for a fight and everything…"

"NATSU!"

"I'm kidding, kidding!" Natsu laughed boisterously, and while still facing Lucy, avoided Jose's sword and delivered a backhand blow that sent the frail Jose back.

"You two argue like a married couple," Jose muttered. Lucy responded by flustered protest; Natsu, in turn, chose to ignore this. Sending a reassuring smile towards Lucy's way, Natsu lifted his leg and sent it backwards.

His foot met his mark.

"Now," Natsu said with a sunny smile as Jose stammered wordlessly, flying back. "How will we get you down from there?" He stared at her- Lucy laughed sheepishly.

"Why don't you just-"

"No. I refuse to swing down with my _hair_." Lucy's smile vanished in an instant.

"But that's how she does it in the fairy tale!" Natsu moped, eager to be rid of and over with the ridiculous chapter- _and hopefully, the ridiculous thoughts along with it._. "Can't you just, like… try it? Please?"

Lucy looked doubtful- (Natsu sighed and backhanded Jose once more as he stumbled to his feet, only to be hit down again) as she experimentally toyed with the edge, she shook her head fearfully.

"I-it's too high up, Natsu… I can't…"

Natsu let out a puff of air, and held out his arms towards her, his expression one of someone who was extremely bored. "Okay. Jump. I'll catch you."

"_What_?" Lucy screeched impressively. "But at this height-! N-no way! You wouldn't be able to catch me, and-!"

"Lucy," Natsu cut her off, and gave her a look so- so _Natsu_ and _trustworthy_ that she was stunned into silence. "I'll catch you. Trust me."

(Jose gave a moan at the corniness of it all- Lucy chucked a book out the window, and it bounced off of his head.)

"You… you promise?" Lucy gulped, lifting a dress-covered foot to experimentally tap the edge. Slowly, she lifted herself to sit on the stone's edge. "I… I'll kill you if you don't catch me, Natsu!"

"If I don't catch you," Natsu deadpanned as he picked up Jose's limp body and began to drag him towards the faraway glade, "you'll already be dead."

"D-don't be like that!"

"Oh, get _on_ with it already!" Jose wailed theatrically. Lucy, startled, suddenly pitched over the tower's edge. Natsu's eyes widened. _Shit-!_

Dropping Jose to the ground unceremoniously, Natsu sprinted forward to meet Lucy's body, which was flailing towards the ground at top speed. _Fuck, this was just like when she was jumping off the sky prison at Phantom…_

Natsu could remember, in that split second he was racing towards her, the panic he had felt when Lucy was taken hostage by the Phantom guild, the anger he'd had when she'd been swiped from _right under him_, and _especially_ the despair that rushed through like a shot of adrenaline when he saw her plummeting towards the ground-

He wasn't going to make it-!

"NATSU!"

Her scream knocked him back to reality. His teeth gritting together with the effort, Natsu mustered all of his strength, and collided violently with Lucy as she fell into her arms- cradling her in a protective cage with his arms because _he'd be damned if she got hurt because of him_. They tumbled several times, falling into the glade as her long hair billowed around them like a golden blanket.

The two came up, sputtering for air.

(Jose muttered something quietly about being a failure of an antagonist.)

"See?" Natsu laughed, quickly masking his relief as the atmosphere's tension ebbed away just as quickly as it had come. "I told you I'd catch you!"

Lucy came up, her long hair messily plastered all over her face, her clothes soggy and clingy. Natsu grinned foolishly- _somehow, she was more…_ likable_ when she was like this, her face flushed with excitement and messy and _comfortable,_ than when she was trying too hard to put on makeup, and-_

"Yeah, yeah," Lucy grumbled. "Try saying something like that when you're the one fifty feet up in the air." She reached over to smack his head with a glowing hand- _oh, her hand was glowing._ The fairy tale was over so _soon_?

Natsu's lip wibbled at her expression. Yes, _wibbled_.

"Alright, _alright_. Thank you." Lucy gave a small smile, but it quickly faded as she sighed. The two began to become enveloped in light- but the blonde's mood was melancholy despite the fact that they had apparently finished the chapter.

"Lucy?" Natsu cocked his head. "What's wrong?"

"You're always… _saving_ me." She seemed irked. "What's up with that? I mean, _seriously_, you and I both know that I'm perfectly capable of fending for myself!"

Natsu gave a huge grin that reduced the miffed Spirit mage to a stare. "Of course! Even the strongest people fall sometimes. I'll always be there to catch you when you fall!"

Blushing from the cheesiness of it all (because really, they were from _Fairy Tail, _and Fairy Tail members didn't do _cliché_), Lucy silently thought that perhaps, it wasn't _that_ bad being the maiden-in-distress with a Prince like Natsu.

As they melted into the next chapter, Lucy turned to Natsu with those inquisitive eyes of hers boring into his.

"What do you suppose the next chapter will be?"

"Oh, I don't know," Natsu gave a lazy shrug, having completely forgotten about one certain blue-haired bookworm.

* * *

><p>AN: **Please stop to leave feedback!**

There's nothing I value more than your guys' comments, be it criticism, compliments, or flames- you have no idea how much your opinions matter to me. I'm always striving to improve my writing for your entertainment. Thanks to you all for continuing to read!


	5. Chapter Four: Beauty and the Beast

Lucy was comfortably warm. Heated, even.

In a matter of seconds, '_heated_' quickly turned into '_flaming_', and '_flaming_' morphed into _'inferno_'. And '_inferno_' turned into- _OW!_

With a pained yelp, the summoning mage jolted awake; or at least, she tried. A ceramic _clank_ and tinker made it obvious that she would not be able to sit up without some effort. And when she opened her eyes, she could see why.

"I'm a _pot_!" She cried out, disgusted, even as Natsu's boisterous laugh crashed into her ears. "I'm a freakin' _pot_!" She whirled around, ready to give Natsu a piece of her mind (for he was quite likely the one who had heated her to such an extent that she awoke, and if she hadn't waken up, then she wouldn't have seen that she was a _pot_), when the sight of him stopped her in her tracks.

"You're so _fat_," Natsu the candleholder cackled, as he bent a candle to scorch her bottom- Lucy let out an unbecoming shriek, and the two household objects proceeded to attempt to chase each other around, the teapot furiously hopping after the frivolous candelabrum.

"Will ya two just _shut up_?"

The two objects froze in their movements (Lucy awkwardly clattered onto her side) as Gajeel pounded down the stairs irritably, fingering his year amidst a yawn.

"You guys are _always_ like this in the morning," the frightening man grumbled as Natsu hooked a (flaming) branch around Lucy, trying to help her up. Gajeel approached the table they were on and grabbed Lucy's handle (she squeaked), slamming her upright onto the tablecloth, and muttered irritably about getting breakfast.

"Luuuucy," Natsu hissed into her ear. "What's Gajeel doing here?"

Lucy took one look at Natsu- who beamed, his flames flaring brightly- and turned to observe their surroundings. Around the richly adorned table was a large castle, its marble tiles and velvet curtains expensive and…

Somehow, the castle was just as cold as it was vast- in more ways than one. Lucy shuddered, and Natsu took this as her being cold, holding his flame to her side again.

Lucy was attempting to douse out his candles with her tea (it was so _weird_, having liquid sloshing inside of you- _Seriously_) when Gajeel stormed back into the dining hall, a deep-set scowl on his face as he plopped into one of the dusty chairs and tore into a large chunk of bread.

Following behind the sour, dark man was a familiar, complaining object-

"GRAY!" Natsu burst into laughter in an instant. "You're an _ice bucket!_"

Lucy watched, bemused, as Gray and Natsu erupted into a typical fight; this time, however, a furious Gray attempted to douse Natsu's fire with his ice cubes as Natsu unsuccessfully tried to torch Gray's… metal.

"You guys," Gajeel snarled, his face mirroring that of Erza on her worst day; Natsu and Gray shrank behind Lucy's rounded surface. She tried to shrink her ceramic self into the smallest possible form as Gajeel's face grew even colder.

"M-master," Lucy gasped out, already forming a guess as to what fairy tale this was. "I-is, d-do you, I-I mean, are you p-perhaps-uhm-"

"Spit it out," Gajeel hissed, a feral undercurrent in his tone; Lucy squealed as he continued, "I haven't got all day."

"Y-you-uh… you need t-to find a way to b-b-break the curse-?"

Gajeel was silent for a moment; all three household objects paused in surprise as the silence grew heavier, matched by the tense atmosphere. After several terse moments, the tall man let out a heavy sigh.

"Don't be stupid," struggling to prevent his voice from uncharacteristically breaking, Gajeel said, "who would ever fall in love with a monster?"

Lucy suddenly understood why the castle seemed so devoid of life as Gajeel sourly dug into his food.

* * *

><p>"Uncle Jet! Uncle Droy!"<p>

The two older boys turned to see a petite, blue-haired girl race out from a cottage, and grimaced simultaneously.

"We told you not to call us that," Droy said anxiously, running a hand through his hair. "We're _cousins_-"

"Well, what else would I call you?" Levy asked, beaming. Jet and Droy fumbled, unable to reply (because really, anyone who dared to even _tarnish_ that smile would suffer eternal guilt forever).

"_Anyway_," Jet said awkwardly, "Levy, sweetie, I'm sorry to tell you this, but… we have bad news."

Droy uttered a sort of strangled choke, because _here it came, the eternal shame and suffering_.

"What's up?"

"Our last… our last business trip didn't go so well," Jet continued, voice squeaky, awaiting Levy's reaction. "At this rate, our job as high-class merchants is going to crash and burn…"

Levy blinked once, twice. Her green eyes remained unchanging.

"Oh," the girl said, and then smiled. "That's okay. I still have you guys to keep me company, so I'm alright with that." She ventured into their shared home and began to shove her favorite books into a bag. Following, the two speechless males stumbled after her.

"We'll have to move out into a smaller cottage," Droy said quietly.

"A-and, we won't be able to afford nice things anymore," Jet picked up from where Droy left off as they watched the blunette hum happily as she gathered her modest belongings.

"That's alright. I never wanted them anyway. I only took them because it'd be rude if I didn't accept them from you."

Somehow, Droy felt that despite Levy's positive reaction, he and Jet were _still_ doomed to eternal shame and suffering.

"Surely there's something you want," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "Something we could give you before we no longer can afford the finer things…?"

Levy's small hand lingered on the surface of the coarse surface of her favorite book, a mere popular folk tale that the villagers loved to gossip about; the famed Beast and his hidden castle.

"Perhaps," she said, her lips twitching upwards. "There is _one_ thing I want to see…"

* * *

><p>Before she knew it, a week had passed. The dread in Lucy's gut was amplified by each passing day; how long would this fairy tale take? The previous ones hadn't taken so long…<p>

The problem, she decided, tinkering along the table sadly as she served tea to her grouchy master, was that Gajeel seemed so _resigned_. Between his violent mood swings (when he would rage, crashing through the decreasing amount of non-animate household items the castle possessed) and his just as abrupt, somber silences, Gajeel had clearly given up, submitted to the curse.

And a curse it was, Lucy saw sadly. The one thing that made the iron-like-man calm and peaceful were trimming the garden's roses, which while sweet and rather comforting, worried Lucy. There was one particular rose whose appearance greatly outshone that of the others, and was the only one on its bush, which remained solemn and detached from the rest of the garden.

Despite its luster, the flower's petals were falling, one by one. Gajeel would often glare at the bush, as if to whack it to the ground in frustration, but always gave up and trimmed its edges neatly with his favorite iron tools.

Even Natsu noticed the difference. "Doesn't he seem weirder than usual, Lucy?" The candelabrum often mentioned to the teapot. "So much more moody. It's like he's PMS-ing or something-!"

"Don't talk that way about the master!" Natsu was whacked one day as he mentioned the castle owner's foul moods. The said master was out, tending the back gardens, and likely wouldn't return for a while.

Erza was, somehow appropriately, a large kitchen knife twice the size of Lucy. Often she would thwack Natsu with her handle, much to his chagrin.

"But he's so _moody_," Natsu whined. "He's like… like Lucy when I read her diary!"

"_You read my diary_?" Lucy squawked indignantly as Erza and Gray looked on, wondering exactly how a teapot would _write_, happily unaware to their alternate realities and selves.

As Juvia (a sizable cup that was always happily attending to a certain ice bucket) prattled her concern over Natsu and Lucy's bickering, a sudden knock that resounded throughout the entire castle froze the group.

They held their breath; the knock repeated, echoing and ricocheting against the walls like a catalyst that Lucy had been awaiting the entire time they were stuck in this chapter.

The objects quickly scurried to hide in nooks and crannies, observing as three humans walked into the front hall, unaware of the dreadful master that occupied the castle.

"It _exists_!" A girl's high-pitched squeal bounced around the hall. Lucy realized with a start that it was _Levy_.

_What was she doing- _wait,what if she was the one to break the curse and release her and Natsu from this chapter?

As she watched anxiously, Natsu _hmmm_ed next to her. "Man, why's that blue-haired nerd here? I thought she practically lived in that stuffy library back in that village last chapter..."

"You _saw_ her before?" Lucy was unable to keep her voice from rising several pitches all at once. "In the _book_?"

At the last word, the poor object's voice broke and screeched throughout the hall; Levy turned inquisitively as Jet and Droy attempted to hide behind the small girl.

"A-a-a ghost!" Jet squealed girlishly. Natsu laughed at the feminine tone as Lucy timidly peeked from around the corner.

"You guys don't read enough," Levy said disapprovingly. "The book said specifically that there were-"

Natsu suddenly shoved Lucy out from behind the nook; she stifled a squeal as she hit the floor with a _clank_. Levy stared.

"-were… people in the castle…"

The blue-haired girl looked at the teapot. Had Lucy been human, she might have turned bright red and hit Natsu, but as it was, her current form was rather… restricting. (Most pots didn't really have fists, as was common knowledge.)

"E-e-erm. Hi there?" Lucy tried, attempting to right herself. As Levy, Droy, and Jet gawked at the struggling teapot, Natsu laughed at her troubles and hopped out to help her up, his flames billowing behind him.

Levy stared even more. Jet and Droy fainted. Natsu proceeded to light their hair on fire.

Lucy tittered nervously as Erza appeared, attempting to slice the now-screaming-for-his-life-Natsu in half, and Gray approached Jet and Droy and dumped ice cubes down their shirts.

"_The story was _true!" Levy whispered, awed, observing the household objects as they harassed her cousins. "There really _was_ a curse!"

"That is not the point," Erza said sternly, turning to face the newcomers. "I hate to say this, but you may want to leave. The Master will be back any time now, and he has not been in a very good mood lately-"

"_Wait_," Lucy hissed, cutting off Erza. She herded the knife aside, and whispered lowly so that Levy wouldn't hear, "the curse, remember? Le- er, this girl could lift it and free us from these forms!"

Erza considered, eyeing Levy warily. The girl beamed.

"Oh, don't worry. I know all about the story!" Levy brushed a lock of hair aside, clutching her favorite book to her chest. "So there's this old lady that curses the Prince of the castle, and all of the servants, and she says it won't be removed unless a girl falls in love with the Prince and everything, right?"

They all stared at her. Jet and Droy yelped as Gray began dumping ice cubes down their pants, and jolted awake in shock.

"Y-you know?" Erza asked, surprise etched onto her face. Levy's green eyes rolled playfully.

"Duh. There's books about this castle all over my village!" She waved a pale hand excitedly. "About the cursed Beast and the talking household objects and _oh_, I didn't think it actually _existed_!"

"W-well," Jet said nervously. "Now we know it exists. C-c-c-can we leave n-now?"

The girl turned quickly and gave him the ol' puppy-dog-eyes. He melted.

"You may want to be careful," Erza began to warn, but Lucy quickly cut her off.

"S-s-so, Levy!" Her voice was polished to be chipper. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable and tell us a bit about yourself!"

The two females (one a human, one a teapot) walked off into a corridor, talking animatedly, as Natsu trailed exasperatedly behind (Erza noted the last part smugly). Gray and Erza stared at Jet and Droy.

"So…" Erza shifted uncomfortably, her blade shifting to face Jet and Droy (they were suddenly feeling rather faint again). "How's… the weather?"

* * *

><p>"Thanks <em>so much<em> for showing me to a room!" Levy gushed and began to go on about the fascinating castle as Lucy nodded in all the right places, not paying much attention (Natsu was uncomfortably close to her, and despite the fact that they weren't people anymore, he _still_ radiated a passionate sort of heat- wait,_ what?_).

"So, uh, anyways. You should meet us down in the dining hall for dinner tonight. We, uh, have good food. And stuff."

"Will the Prince be there?" Levy's eyes were shining suddenly, and Lucy got the sinking feeling that the girl was actually looking forward to seeing a big, hairy monster with fangs and horns and… stuff.

"Er, yeah," Lucy said awkwardly as Natsu began to pull her away, bored already. "Uh, try not to be too disappointed…"

Before Levy could question her any further, the spirit mage found herself in the corridor with Natsu.

"Luuucyy," he said, voice a childish whine. "What are you _doing_?"

"We need to get out of the book, don't we? She's perfect for this chapter!" Lucy silently decided to leave out the part where Levy gained a soul mate. _No one said a little match-making wasn't allowed…_

"Well, yeah, but we still haven't figured out what fairy tale this is!" Were Natsu not a candelabrum, he would be pouting. Lucy gave him a (somewhat- as much as a teapot could-) incredulous look.

"You still haven't figured it out yet? How _dense_ can you be?"

Natsu remained happily silent.

Lucy sighed and decided that they would just hurry up and get this over with.

(She was not disappointed by the fact that she and Natsu weren't the main characters this time. No, siree. Not at all. Yeah.

…

Right.)

* * *

><p>The entire household had gathered around the dining hall excitedly, preparing a large feast. Gajeel had been stuck in his room for a while, and hadn't seen Levy yet, which was a relief. They all bustled around the elongated table, decorating the wood lavishly with scented candles and the best food the kitchen had. Erza was kept quite busy, chopping away happily like nobody's business.<p>

Mirajane (a broom), Lisanna (a dresser), and Elfman (who was, oddly enough, a thistly hairbrush) huddled around and directed the directions until Lucy saw that the empty dining hall had turned into a banquet hall fit for a king.

"Now all that's left to do is to get Gajeel and Levy together," she sighed, satisfied.

"What?"

Lucy froze and laughed nervously, turning to see Levy, donned in a fanciful gown that Mirajane had practically forced on the modest girl, standing over her curiously.

"Uh…" The teapot looked away quickly, and then latched onto Natsu. "See, this guy and I were just about to, uh…" She paused.

Natsu looked at her blankly, his flames flickering. "Make something up!" she hissed to the boy. His candles gave something akin to a shrug.

"We were about to go… play with each other," Natsu blurted.

Levy snorted immediately; Lucy balked. Natsu stared at the both of them for several moments before he got the second meaning behind the phrase.

"Wait! W-what the hell? I didn't mean it like _that_, you pervs-!"

Abruptly, heavy footsteps resounded against the marble. A deadly silence swept over the crowd of household objects, and the three awkward humans that were standing were quickly herded to the table and ordered to sit quietly.

Gajeel descended the steps and froze; Lucy stared as Gajeel glared right at _her_ (a shiver ran down her being) and slowly trudged to his regular seat, his harsh eyes moving to Levy, whose smile had fallen off her face.

(Jet and Droy hid under the table.)

"Erza," Gajeel said, voice a deep baritone rumble; Levy gulped visibly as he continued, "what is the meaning of this?"

"Simply some passing travelers, Master," Erza said coolly, leaving out the fact that Levy had come to see _him_.

Levy, however, wasn't pleased. "Are you the rumored Prince of this castle?"

Gajeel twitched, his eyes tightening and his jaw drawing taut. "What of it, squirt?" She flinched.

"W-well," the blunette said bravely, chin up defiantly, "I journeyed here to see the legendary Beast, but you're not really a Beast, are you? Not much of a curse-"

Gajeel slammed his fist into the table, and the force of the blow practically split it two- as it was, a crack appeared, and Jet and Droy were revealed, though paid no heed- as the spectacular show of food tumbled to the floor.

"_Care to repeat that?_" He growled dangerously, and the resolve in Levy's eyes faltered slightly.

"You-you're not a Beast! You're just temperamental!" The girl spat suddenly. Lucy panicked (_Not _now_, Levy! Don't pick this time to be stubborn!_), and Gajeel's eyes flared so violently that a chill spread throughout the room.

"_You two_," He snarled at Jet and Droy. "Leave at once. This girl will stay and be my… _slave_, per se," his fangs bared in what could be both a grimace and a grin; Levy's resolve disappeared completely in an instant as Jet and Droy winced. Gajeel's sadistic expression made it clear that his intentions were far from pure and harmless.

"We- we can't just leave her!" Jet gasped out, sweat beading on his forehead.

Droy, hoping to sneak up from behind Gajeel, was rounded upon and Gajeel's large fist was slammed right into his jaw. Blood spurted out as he collapsed to the floor; Levy had frozen in the elaborate chair, eyes wide and disbelieving.

"You will leave," he said dangerously. "If you leave, I will spare your lives. If you don't, I will kill all of you."

Gajeel slammed a heavy fist into Droy's stomach; over, and over, and over…

Levy's small frame trembled, and Lucy despaired- _this was not looking good at _all! "J-J-Jet, Droy, g-g-go!"

"But Levy-!"

"NO!" Levy's eyes squeezed together, and her voice cracked with pain. "Leave! I-I _refuse_ to let you guys be hurt!"

The teapot and the candelabrum watched in stunned silence as Jet and Droy were unceremoniously thrown out of the castle despite their protests; their strength was pitiful compared to the Prince's, after all; when Gajeel rounded on Levy, the blunette gave a jerk and shook so violently that pity shook all of the onlookers, even the loyal Erza.

"Perhaps," the knife said quietly, "you should retire for the night, Master. Levy, I shall direct you to your quarters."

Gajeel stood stonily in the center of the hall as Levy was shown to her room, tears streaking down her face, the prepared feast a long-forgotten mess on the floor.

* * *

><p>"What was <em>that<em>, Lucy?" Natsu groaned that night. "That was terrible! How is _that_ supposed to get us out of this chapter?"

The two animated household items dejectedly walked down an empty corridor, Natsu mourning the fact that they were stuck in the book and he couldn't even _eat_ (normal candelabrums didn't have mouths, after all), and Lucy cursing Zekua Melon for enchanting the book in the first place (and why,_ why_ with Natsu, of all people?)

"I-I don't know!" She groaned, throwing herself against the wall in frustration (albeit carefully, to avoid any chipping). "I'm sure it'll get better somehow… we just have to get them together somehow!"

"They're like… total opposites!" Had he been his regular self, Natsu would have likely busted a wall in frustration (or at the very least, half the castle).

She gave him a sour look. "Who says opposites can't attract?"

Natsu met her gaze with his own cocky one, and Lucy suddenly felt that she and Natsu were rather, in fact, polar opposites. Where he was thick, she was smart; where he was strong, she was weak; where he was rash, she was cautious. He could come up with millions of strategies in the battlefield, where she was helpless, while she could plot like nobody's business out of battle. _Total opposites, indeed_, she thought bitterly.

Suddenly, the girl felt rather stupid and foolish. "You know what? Forget I said anything, Natsu. You're such an _idiot_!"

The girl (rather, teapot) turned heel and walked away huffily as she ignored Natsu's stammers, leaving the clueless candleholder alone, slumped in the middle of the hall.

* * *

><p>Throughout the following week, Levy shifted between depression to fright, over and back again. Gajeel's temper tantrums did nothing to help the growing tension between them. The one time he invited her to dinner again (and that was both tentative and spurred by the collective urging of Mira, Lisanna, Erza, Juvia, and herself), she shut herself into her room and refused to see him, and she spent most of her time burrowed in the castle's vast library, alternating between reading and sobbing. Nothing Lucy said could help.<p>

"He's _worse_ than a monster!" Levy said one day to the teapot, who was starting to lose hope in the fairy tale. "He may not _look_ like one, but that man is no Prince!"

"N-no!" Lucy stuttered. "Trust me, h-h-he has his moments!"

"Yeah," Levy said darkly, burying her face into a book. "Of violence."

Before Lucy could say anything in response, Natsu poked his head through the doorway and looked at her. "Hey, Lucy, why don't you come with me to-?"

"No," she said stubbornly. "Go away."

Silently, the candleholder glumly hopped off, as Levy gave him a pitying glance. "Be nice to him. I think he really likes you."

"We're completely different," Lucy huffed, feeling oddly dissatisfied. But- no, _this wasn't about her and Natsu anymore, it was about Gajeel and Levy!_ Even so, she couldn't get the thought of Natsu denying the possibility of _them_ out of her head…

"And- and, y'know, Gajeel isn't as bad as you make him out to be," Lucy stubbornly redirected the topic, refusing to think about Natsu. (It hurt. Why the _hell_ did it hurt?)

Levy pursed her lips and tossed the book aside. "But I don't- I don't even know if Jet and Droy are okay." She stood up, dusting her lap, and frowned determinedly. "That's _it_. I have to leave this place and find them!"

_Shoot!_ "No, you can't!" Lucy said, too quickly to avoid suspicion. Levy raised a delicate eyebrow. "I-I mean, it really wouldn't be _safe_, and you'd get lost, and-!"

"I don't _care_!" Levy hissed. "_Anything_ to escape this prison!"

The small girl stormed out of the library, and Lucy watched her with a sinking heart.

_Nothing was going right today_, she sighed to herself as she turned into the halls. Levy was already gone- she huffed out in irritation. "Great. There's no way I can catch up to her," she stared down at her pot-bottom (it was really large, she thought to herself sadly). "I'll have to go tell Gajeel…"

"You finally came out!"

The teapot twitched irritably at the familiar voice; Natsu came up from behind her, without any caution or hesitation as usual. "I was waiting _forever_! Jeez, Lucy! You've been ignoring me for, like, _forever_!"

"Gee, I wonder why," she said sourly, stubbornly facing away. Natsu made a disapproving sort of noise.

"And you call _me_ an idiot," Natsu made a sound that seemed a lot like, _pfft_. "You're mad at me and won't even tell me why! You're so freakin' evasive; try being more straight-forward, like me!" Pride tinted the dragonslayer's voice.

"You're _right_," Lucy spat suddenly, anger flaring up in her. "I'm not like you at all! In fact, I would say we're complete _opposites_, wouldn't you agree?"

The bolster in Natsu's demeanor seemed to diminish. "W-what's wrong with you, Lucy? Have you been feeling okay lately?"

She stared him down, and his fires seem to wane as he looked away, awkwardly, obviously unsure. Lucy refused to be swayed.

"I'm obviously not okay," she grit out. "You're so dense, you idiot! How could you not even get _why_ I'm upset?"

"Because you won't tell me!" Natsu growled, and suddenly, his infamous temper flared back to life, as did the flames on his candles. "All I want is for you to _talk_ to me again! I mean, seriously, one second it's all okay, and the next you're ignoring me! I've been by myself for an entire week, lonely and-!" He stopped mid-sentence, and bit down on his tongue regretfully.

Lucy looked at him, stunned, as he fumbled, "not lonely, I mean. It's just, you're the sanest person here, what with Erza being a freakin' butcher knife and Gray being his usual bastard self. And Gajeel, don't even get me _started_," Natsu snorted.

"Natsu?" The teapot looked at him (if she didn't know any better, she would say Natsu was almost… _flustered_?) "Have you really been… lonely?" It was almost as if his words were making her smile. Had he truly missed her company? Suddenly, it didn't seem all too bad for them to be opposites if he really did miss her presence…

"Of course not," Natsu replied gruffly, and her good mood dissipated in an instant, returning to a foul one. "Why would I miss the company of a weirdo like you?"

"Oh, that is _it!_" Lucy hissed, turning away. He was so… so _cheeky!_ "I'm never talking to you _again_!"

She tripped down the corridor as quickly as her teapot form would allow, never sparing the protesting Natsu a glance. She had made it halfway to the kitchen (mentally berating herself for even _considering_ that Natsu might be halfway intelligent enough to understand what the hell she was talking about) when she remembered-

"Oh, _crap!_ Levy!" She would be too late, at this rate! The girl would have made it out and had at least a good fifteen minutes by now… Natsu just _had_ to sidetrack her! Lucy mentally berated herself for _caring_ about the stubborn dragon mage in the first place. That was _so_ it. She wouldn't spare him any thoughts anymore! (Lie, lie, _lie_)-

"What about her?" Gajeel rumbled from behind her. _Oh. Oh shoot, oh shoot, oh shoot, oh shoot. Where did he come from?_

Lucy turned her spout so that it faced Gajeel, and laughed nervously. _When had he gotten there-?_ "W-w-well, you see, Master…" She gulped. "She's run away."

His slanted eyes narrowed like those of an animal's. "_What did you say_?"

"She- she left just a while ago!" Lucy squeaked. "You need to go get her!"

Gajeel looked as if he were going to retort, but decided against it, slumping against the kitchen wall, almost resigned. He buried his face into his hands, cursing. "Augh, shit, shit, _shit!_ Why should I?"

"She can lift the curse-!"

"_Her?_ As if!" Gajeel looked away. "The only thing she'd be good for would be a servant, and I've got plenty of those!" He gave her a pointed look.

Lucy gave an offended start, about to speak, but was interrupted by a high-pitched scream that pierced ominously through the air. Gajeel's long dark mane whipped around at the sound.

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!_"

"That's Levy!" Lucy gasped, and looked at Gajeel, ready to give some sort of life-changing speech to convince him to go after the blunette, or perhaps a good scolding-

But Gajeel had already burst towards the source of the noise.

Lucy barely suppressed a small sigh. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

* * *

><p>Natsu stared out the window, watching the red and orange of his candles' flames flicker lightly against the glass.<p>

What the heck was up with Lucy? He wanted to scowl and hit something, but his current form was so freakin' _powerless_. He couldn't use a dragonslayer spell to punch a wall (and as much as he wanted to at the moment, he would never lay a finger on Lucy), and so settled for glaring angrily out the window at the forest. The stupid blonde was so… so _frustrating_!

It was enough that she wouldn't leave his fucking thoughts, but she wasn't even talking to him! It was all the damned book's fault; that Sleeping Beauty chapter had messed with his head, and it seemed like this chapter was trying to do the same thing.

It was absolutely pouring outside, as if to match his mood. Natsu hated water, but-

-_wait. Was that… _Levy?

"W-what the-?" But it _was_ Levy! Natsu gave a start at the sight of the small girl walking out into the forest. What was she doing?

He watched, amused, as she looked around the woods, looking as lost as a small child, when she suddenly gave a ripping shriek as a pack of wolves jumped from the wood and surrounded her.

Natsu watched, aghast as several wolves, scruffy yet packed with muscle, circled around her, closing around the girl as only a predator could to its prey. Levy opened her mouth to emit a bloodcurdling scream that made even Natsu, courageous Natsu, shudder.

However, before Natsu could do something- _anything_, shout her name, perhaps?- or lament the loss of his magic, a mangy wolf went flying into the air, whimpering pathetically and turning tail.

The candelabrum looked on in surprise as the Prince wheeled around, bellowing uproariously as he bat away the hounds with fists the shape of claws. In mere seconds, the hounds were sent packing

And Natsu became even _more_ surprised with his temperamental 'Master' reached out a hand to a stock-still Levy, who very, very cautiously reached out to take it as he pulled her upright.

The two shared a long, odd look that had Natsu scratching his head (er, scratching his candles?), and began to walk back to the castle.

And all of a sudden, watching the small Beauty with the Beastly prince, Natsu finally realized what Fairy Tale it was.

Maybe Lucy was right. Perhaps he _was_ slow, after all.

(The poor fire mage had _no_ idea.)

* * *

><p>"The Master has cordially invited you to dinner, milady," Erza said teasingly, bowing down a little to Levy at the threshold of her large room. Levy cracked a small grin at the sight of a large kitchen knife mock-bowing, but the tension was still quite obvious.<p>

"I… I don't know," she murmured, pressing her face into a large pillow.

"He _did_ save your life," Lisanna reminded cheerfully; Lucy mentally rolled her eyes. News traveled fast, apparently. "Now, sweetie," she swung a dresser door open, "this dress would look _adorable_ on you-!"

"Thanks, Lisanna," Levy smiled reluctantly. "He's not so bad, I guess. It's just… Jet and Droy…" Her voice caught in her throat, and Lucy rushed to reassure her.

"He didn't know any better at the time," she soothed, "b-but, you know, you can change him!"

Levy shyly crept off the bed, experimentally toying with the hem of the dress Lisanna offered as Mirajane brightly whisked away, sweeping the bedroom floor eagerly. "It's, it's just… he's so…" she bit down on her lower lip, "so _intimidating_. The books I read told me of a charming Prince who was unlucky enough to be cursed by an evil witch, not of a temperamental… _beast_ who was put in his place for his violent tendencies!" The words came out of her in a huge gust of breath, rushed and barely coherent.

Lucy flinched; the animate household objects shared a meaningful look with each other; Levy had no idea that the curse was reversible but hardly plausible in Gajeel's eyes, which was a large reason his mood swings were so harsh.

"Just go, what's the worst that could happen? He wouldn't hurt a hair on your head," Juvia made her presence known, peeking into the room. Levy blinked; the mug beamed in return. "Juvia has come to tell you that the Master awaits your presence in the dining hall. Please, make haste!"

With that, the mug shot off, probably eager to reunite with a certain ice bucket; Levy sighed, and pulled on the dress.

Lucy watched and prayed for a miracle to happen.

* * *

><p>"So," Gray said awkwardly to a blue Natsu as Juvia coddled and fussed over him. "What's up with you and Lucy lately? You guys seem to be, uh, a little rocky lately."<p>

"I don't know what you're talking about," Natsu mumbled glumly, slamming a candle against the table in frustration; a small portion of the tablecloth was lit on fire. Juvia shrieked and doused it, drenching Natsu in the process, whose spirits were further lowered. Even Gajeel raised an eyebrow, as he tapped a foot impatiently in his chair.

"Please," Gray snorted. "It was so damn obvious you two had a thing before we were turned- oh, uh…"

All the dining ware, all the cups, plates, (ice buckets, mugs, candelabrums) simultaneously froze and glanced at Gajeel, whose scowl had blackened so much it was frightening even to Natsu. Obviously, the curse was a touchy subject. (And for Natsu, Lucy was even more so. That damn exhibitionist-slash-now-an-ice-bucket-I-mean-seriously-what-the-hell-was-up-with-that just _had_ to bring her up?)

Natsu was on the verge of lighting the food on fire in frustration (perhaps imagining that the corn was Gray would help), when a small _tap_ turned everyone's attention.

Levy, small and graceful, timidly tip-toed down the steps, practically ran to the chair furthest from Gajeel, and avoided all eye contact, instead eyeing the food. Her dress was a forest green, with a low v-neck that plunged down softly, the fabric billowing around her legs like a gentle mist. Gajeel _harrumphed_ and looked away, beginning to pick at the food.

Lucy and a small number of other objects trailed behind Levy, and there was a small, jostling crowd of items that watched nervously, waiting to see if the tense atmosphere between the Prince and the girl would break; and if so, would it be in the worst way possible?

Natsu made an extra effort to catch Lucy's eye; she both noticed and avoided, much to his dismay. Before Natsu could protest, Levy interrupted the silent tension.

"U-um," she spoke, voice barely over a whisper, "may I eat…?" The teapot noted that the poor girl was still practically white with fright that the 'Beast' would try something, shaking and clenching the table, knuckles turned ivory from the effort to stop trembling.

"Be our guest," Natsu purposefully quoted, hoping to catch Lucy's attention this time. It worked; she turned sharply, regarding him. He cheerfully hopped off the table as Levy and Gajeel both hesitantly dug into the food.

"You finally figured out what chapter we were in, you dunce," she said dourly, and her tone surprised him.

"Don't tell me you're still mad at me!" Natsu griped. "Isn't that what you were so upset about?" (Lucy fumed- the idiot would _never_ understand romance, would he?)

He waved an arm wildly; Mirajane, who was nearby, suddenly caught on fire with a squeal. Elfman shouted loudly and stampeded towards Natsu as Juvia and Gray doused Mirajane. In the process, he managed to somehow knock over Erza, who was contentedly slicing a strawberry cake, and roared at the interruption.

Cana (who was rather appropriately a whiskey bottle) cackled and joined in the tousle as Natsu voiced himself self-proclaimed ruler over them all, which spurned even more objects to join in on the fray. Within seconds, the quiet mob had disintegrated into a large frenzy of fights.

Lucy watched, amused despite herself; Fairy Tail was Fairy Tail, after all, wasn't it? Gajeel himself, true to character in spite of the new presence of Levy, yelled and joined in, trying to force the objects apart. In the span of fifteen seconds, his hair managed to be caught on fire (courtesy of Natsu, of course), several ice cubes were stuffed down his pants (Gray would deny it if you ever asked), his shirt became drenched (Cana and Juvia, stuck in the middle of an epic battle that consisted of well-meant insults), and dust coated his entire body (Mirajane rather unfortunately sneezed all over him).

It was a high, pealing laughter that stopped them all; everyone at the table turned to look at Levy, who was laughing so hard that tears had sprung to her eyes. Gajeel himself looked so shock that his jaw was gaping open like that of a fish.

"You-you guys!" She chuckled and gasped for air, pounding a small fist into the table. Her fear had dissipated in seconds. "You're hilarious! Do you do this on a daily basis or something?"

"U-um, yeah?" Gajeel tried, and Lucy was quite delighted to notice his obvious discomfort with Levy's adorable smiling, laughing form.

Levy pursed her lips carefully, and looked up carefully, eyes just a smidgen less cautious now, less anticipatory of a hazard. "Perhaps I did misjudge you, after all."

As the two returned to the meal, the atmosphere much lighter than before, Lucy pulled Natsu aside and said encouragingly, "that was great! You popped their awkwardness just like that!" In the background, Levy and Gajeel had started small chatter that alleviated her mood just _that_ much more- there really was hope of getting out of here!

"Great!" Natsu beamed. "So does that mean you're not mad anymore?"

Lucy wasted no time in replying. "I'm still mad, you dolt. You just… you just don't understand why."

"Why don't you try explaining it to me?" His voice was abruptly serious, catching her off guard. Warm, like that of honey; was this the same affectation he had used before kissing her in the Sleeping Beauty chapter?

(Lucy felt herself heat up, as if she, a _teapot_ were blushing- how _preposterous!_-, and shook to clear her thoughts.)

"You won't understand," she enunciated. "We're too… different, I guess."

"What makes you say that?" His voice was so typically oblivious she had to resist the urge to go bang her head against a wall or something. "We're not so different that we share opposing viewpoints, right?"

She paused to consider. "What makes you say that?" she echoed.

Natsu laughed. "Because we're both in Fairy Tail, Lucy. That makes us closer than any normal people, silly."

Lucy watched as Levy tried to smile warmly at Gajeel, who looked away almost embarrassed, and then turned back to Natsu, who was still awaiting a reply.

She sighed. _Perhaps she should forgive him, just this once_.

* * *

><p>The days flew by now; Levy and Gajeel slowly adjusted to one another's presence, and though Levy was clearly struggling with the trauma of seeing Gajeel harm her cousins, she was also making a valiant effort to befriend him.<p>

And any one of them could see that Gajeel was changing, even if only infinitesimally. He grouched less and had even offered smiles on occasion (he even _thanked_ Erza for cutting a piece of strawberry cake for him once; the poor kitchen knife fainted). He showed Levy around the castle, gruffly pointing out his favorite wings as she smiled patiently.

They were trying, Lucy noted, pleased. It was possible for it to work out.

Natsu was obviously still puzzling over Lucy's previous irritation at him. The befuddled candelabrum was much more careful around her, and because of that, she didn't see him around as often as usually. This concerned her; if there was one thing Natsu _wasn't_, it was caution.

But when one afternoon, the candleholder popped out from thin air and announced that the objects were secretly dressing the ballroom for Gajeel and Levy, she suddenly realized that he hadn't been avoiding her at all.

"Oh," she said, attempting to sound halfway intelligent in her stupor. "I see."

(A part of her sulked; so he hadn't really cared, after all, about her. Did he even…?)

"Yeah, we're doing it tonight!" He said excitedly. "You have to help us, come on! Maybe you could, like, sing or something…"

The teapot thought back to Sleeping Beauty chapter where she had attempted to sing and failed miserably, and shook her head violently. Natsu shrugged and dragged her to assist the rest of the household anyway.

"So how did you guys get this idea?" She asked, pitifully trying to make conversation. God, why did she have to be so _awkward_ around this guy? It was like he was muddying her thoughts, making them incoherent to herself-

"I suggested it," he said, a hint of demure in his voice. "You've seemed really down, being stuck in this chapter, so I thought I would help to speed things along, y'know? D-don't take it the wrong way or anything!" He tacked on lamely at the end when Lucy laughed at him, her previous indignation gone.

He really had been thinking about her, after all.

* * *

><p>The entire household was buzzing with anticipation; Gajeel's temper had not been piqued in a while, which was a good sign. Levy herself had become less and less hesitant, and had started being more open with the Prince. Lucy had even caught them together in the library, with Levy poring over a multitude of books in fascination as Gajeel pretended to be reading, glancing up once in a while to study her face.<p>

(He always looked away before she looked up.)

It was getting close to the climax of the story, it _had_ to be. They had been stuck in the fourth chapter for almost a month now, and Lucy had had enough of being a teapot.

She didn't voice these thoughts to Natsu; the spirit mage knew that he was even more irritated than she was that he was not in a human body, and more so that his powers were gone. Instead, they focused with the rest of the household objects on decorating the ballroom so lavishly that it had gone from dusty and unused to a shining splendor.

"Fitting of a Prince and his Princess," Mirajane cooed, and ran off to tell the plans to Gajeel.

They had settled that Gajeel would surprise Levy after dinner with an offer to dance (Lisanna, of course, would pick out an elegant dress). They all knew that he was not likely to agree to the idea (cussing excluded, words such as _stupid_ and _wasteful_ were likely. _Gay_ was there, as well), but they had set up blackmail, courtesy of a foxy Cana, who was just as eager as the rest of them to see their Master finally open up.

('Blackmail?' Lucy had asked, wondering exactly what Gajeel could have done that would embarrass him into dancing. Cana had merely chuckled something under her breath about '_underwear_', '_cherries'_, and '_hairspray,_' along with '_lingerie'_ and '_tutus_'. Lucy decided that was something she definitely wanted to hear someday.)

They hadn't anticipated what would actually happen.

That evening, as Gajeel cleared his throat and (rather noticeably reluctantly) began to extend the invitation, Levy suddenly burst into tears.

The castle's animated objects watched in shock as Gajeel fumbled over her, hands fluttering uselessly, as if worried that a single touch would break the girl as she wailed into her hands.

"O-oi, don't cry," he growled. "Only pathetic little wimps do that. And you better be above that by now."

(Well, Lucy lamented, it was about as close to a compliment as Gajeel could get.)

"I-I'm sorry," Levy hiccupped, wiping her tears away. Gajeel flinched back, as if afraid to be touched by the drops, like if they did he would start crying with her too or something. "I just, just m-m-miss them so much!"

"Oh." Gajeel lowered his hands dumbly. "I'm not… much company, after all. Whatever. I get it."

"_No, _that's not it!" She lowered her hands as well, and almost moved to take his, but stopped. "I just… I'm just worried, alright? I want to know if they're doing okay, and, and-"

Gajeel cut her off abruptly, turning from staring at her face intently to veering his back to face her. "Then go."

(The entire place became so incredibly silent that one could almost hear a pin drop. As it was, they all gasped together; it was almost comical.)

Levy gaped. "W-what?"

"You heard me," Gajeel grunted. "You can go. One week, tops. I'm giving you permission to-"

"Oh, _thank you_!" Levy burst, latching her small arms around the Prince in a hug (they were thin and porcelain; they didn't fit around his torso) before dashing to her room to pack. Gajeel dropped into his chair and buried his face in his hands.

"U-um," Erza stepped forward, wondering exactly what had spurred Gajeel on at that moment- they _all were_- "Master? What about-?"

"She was crying," Gajeel said through clenched teeth. "'S'not like I had a choice, anyway."

They all understood, even as the group retreated to glumly regard the ballroom that would go unused for the night.

That was the Gajeel equivalent of him admitting that he felt for her.

* * *

><p>The next day, when Levy finally found her way back to her village, she actually found herself… <em>missing<em> him.

He wasn't exactly… the _best_ looking of guys, sure, but there was something under that grating demeanor that was endearing to her. And who would have thought? Even though he had not been anything like those popular stories told; a charming, thoughtful Prince cursed to be ugly (and that was _so_ romantic; she had fawned over the idea countless times before the _actual_ encounter), he was… charming in his own way.

The blunette ambled slowly into the town, and a nearby passerby did a double take and burst into cheer.

Levy blinked, astonished, as a mess of people gathered around her, eager and loud, crowding her as well as her thoughts. _If Gajeel were here, he would probably brush them all off like flies…_

"You're alive-!"

"She's back! She really came back-!"

"How did you survive that monster-?"

"Was he as bad as the rumors say-?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine, really," Levy said lamely, attempting to dispel the ridiculous notions. Jet and Droy burst through the herd of people, yammering excitedly. Levy struggled to bring her thoughts away from the castle and to her cousins, who she had been so worried about only moments before, yet were far from her mind now.

"Y-you're alright. I'm so glad," she smiled weakly, throwing her arms around the two tentatively; they were still bandaged, and she felt herself grow slightly limp at the memory of how their injuries had come about.

"Of course," Droy said boldly, sticking his chest out. "We aren't so useless that we would sit around being weak."

"In fact," Jet continued, "we couldn't stand worrying about you, so we did something about it."

"Oh," Levy said absently. "Is that so?"

"That's right," Jet laughed nervously. "W-we used the rest of our savings, and sent Uncle to find that monster-"

Levy's entire body went slack, and she suddenly collapsed. The whole of the admiring villagers crowded around her, only to be waved back by her cousins.

"L-Levy, what's wrong?"

Her pupils had dilated; her entire body was drenched in a cold sweat.

"Y-you _didn't_," she gasped out in horror. "You w-wouldn't, not _him_. He's ruthless! Gajeel will be eaten a-alive!"

"What's wrong?" Droy echoed. "Y-you don't have a problem with it, do you…?"

Levy stumbled to her feet and raced back to the path she had come from.

Jet and Droy stared dumbly after Levy, wondering exactly what had changed in just a short month that could alter the book aficionado so much.

* * *

><p>Gajeel was silent for the entire day; so silent, in fact, that they were beginning to worry. Not a single word was uttered throughout breakfast nor lunch, which Gajeel skipped. Even as dinner approached, Gajeel did nothing but sit out on the garden on the moist soil, watching the single glowing rose that had little over a couple of petals left.<p>

Lucy was somewhat convinced that they would never make it out of the chapter. Gajeel had let Levy go, and despite the fact that Levy was an overall loyal person that had warmed up to Gajeel (as had their actual Earthland counterparts), there was no telling how different _this_ world's Levy was. After all, the Edolas Levy was just as temperamental as Magnolia Levy was sweet.

Even as night fell and thunder cracked through the sky, Gajeel remained rooted to the spot, watching yet another petal fall forlornly to the earth.

"Master," Erza chided solemnly. "The weather grows bothersome. It is time for you to head inside."

Gajeel fingered the petal and didn't say anything, eyeing the rose bush as if he were torn between shielding the plant and ripping it to shreds. Normally, it would likely be the latter, but he seemed so dazed he didn't even bother swiping irritably at the household servants when they checked in on him.

Seeing as Gajeel was a lost cause, they began to file in to the castle. He ignored yet another crash of lightning as the crackle of light shadowed his face.

"_So you exist_."

Gajeel remained stock-still at the new voice, refusing to turn around. Aw, what the hell? Levy was forgotten; _screw her_! He stood, stonily facing the sudden intruder, pushing his thoughts away.

"Damn straight I exist. And something tells me that you shouldn't."

"Big words for someone who looks as weak as you," was the response, chuckled hoarsely. A hefty cape was thrown aside- it sank to the ground, revealing a man whose stature was just as large, if not more so, than Gajeel.

"You won't be saying that when I'm through with you," Gajeel rumbled, cracking his knuckles. Ever since Levy had come, he had been loathe to fight, if only to prevent her from being so damn _scared_ of him; but she was gone now, and who the hell cared? He could fight all he wanted, and get as bloody damn injured as he wanted-

(-_he supposed that now, there would be no one to bandage him, however.)_

"What the fuck are you doing here?" He snarled, shaking the thoughts of her away. She left, and wasn't it for the best? She was unwelcome to begin with, and it should remain that way. It was just as destined as it was for him to remain a Beast, whose features had been twisted to seem animalistic, and despite the lack of hair, his piercings and demeanor were far gone. "Who are you?"

It was too late for him, anyway. He didn't know why he'd even bothered putting a shred of hope on that stupid midget.

"I am your downfall, you pathetic beast," the outsider stepped towards Gajeel, who refused to step back in response.

"I see," he said dryly. "You're a bounty hunter, looking for the 'famed' mystical creatures in the land." He sneered the words. "I suppose you're here to kill me and collect a bounty."

"It's not just that," the answer was calm and collected, and somewhat worried Gajeel; not worried, _irritated_ Gajeel. He could probably take on this intruder, but what irked him was that the intruder didn't _care_. "You'll never guess who sent me."

"And I care _why_?" The 'Beast' snorted. "It's none of my business-"

"Levy," the man purred, and stepped out of the shadows and into the light as the lightning thundered once more. Gajeel's body locked down- _Levy, Levy would do this?_- and couldn't make out a proper response, even as the man drew out twin swords. His blonde hair seemed to fizz with the same energy as the thunder amongst the clouds; a jagged scar ran past one eye.

"My name is Laxus, and I'm under orders to kill you."

The Beast Prince barely managed to dodge the devastating blows that Laxus advanced with upon him, mind still reeling. Levy, naïve, tiny, innocent, happy, _small_ Levy had ordered for him to be killed? At first, there was rage- he had fed her, clothed her, kept her _safe_, and this was how she repayed him?- then a jagged sense of betrayal he quickly washed down, which was replaced with a bitter sense of comeuppance.

In his mind's eye, each blow from this man- Laxus- reminded him of the aggressive assault he had dished out to Jet and Droy; he didn't regret pummeling the weaklings, but he _did_ regret the circumstances under which he did so. They had done nothing to harm him. Why would he inflict pain onto others for the sake of just inflicting pain?

Levy's eyes, terrified and afraid, loomed in his thoughts like a dagger poised to strike. As it was, Laxus himself had his broadswords poised over his head, and Gajeel narrowly tumbled away.

He fought because he _liked_ it, he reminded himself. Levy left, and her damned opinions didn't matter. (Besides, this was in _self defense. _Wasn't it justified, somehow?)

Gajeel rolled onto his side, fisted his hands, and launched a kick into Laxus's side, which was parried by one of the swords. The other came swiftly down upon his head; Gajeel, who had fought many swordfights in court before his curse, was not afraid. He deftly caught the blade in his mouth, and ignoring Laxus's struggles to remove the metal, he bit down _hard_ and dented the metal.

(There were advantages to having enhanced strength as a Beast, after all.)

Laxus stumbled back, shock flashing through his eyes for a millisecond, but that was smoothly replaced by evident years of experience. He roared, racing forward to slash at Gajeel, who was beginning to back into the gardens.

Eyes narrowing, Gajeel spared a side glance to the enchanted rose bush. Laxus didn't miss it.

"So the little_ fairy_ tales were true, then," he grinned. "I suppose that wilting pile of shit is the rose that you're so fond of?"

"Shut up," Gajeel snarled, unconsciously angling his body to protect the rose. Laxus gauged his expression for a moment, then shrugged and threw aside the swords. Gajeel raised an eyebrow.

"I see that you're not really going to fight back, so I suppose," a sadistic smile marred Laxus' face, "that I'll just take my time."

His fists balled up. Gajeel barely had time to react before a fist rocketed into his jaw, followed by another, and another, and another…

This was stupid, he decided as Laxus proceeded to pummel him, much the same way he had Jet and Droy. Why was he still defending the rose? Levy was _gone_- obviously, she had sent the damn assassin-hunter-bastard after him, and was probably laughing at his foolishness right now. Why was he still hanging onto that sliver of hope that she could come back and reverse the curse? Why the _fuck_ was he defending the rose?

From the corner of his eye, his pupils traced a quivering petal. Three more. Not much time left.

Laxus sent a kick into Gajeel's gut that, were he not so built, would have sent him sprawling. As it was, blood spurt from his mouth.

"I don't love her," Gajeel muttered stubbornly to the ground. The heavens, the damned mocking heavens were pouring down on him; the electricity in the sky howled its approval as Laxus stepped forward, a disturbing expression molding itself to his features.

"How sweet," Laxus said mockingly. "Thinking of the little maiden on your death bed, are we?"

Gajeel said nothing, even as Laxus made to strike once more.

* * *

><p>"What's with the racket outside?" Natsu yawned. Lucy shrugged sadly, gazing out at the sky. It was raining- <em>again<em>. Natsu noticed her forlorn face and wisely decided to shut up. In a way, it could be seen as him being smart for once, but on the other hand, he felt as if he knew her well and read her moods properly. (Knowing his idiocy, however it was an even tie between the two.)

She gazed out the window, wondering when Levy would come back, and didn't realize she had voiced her thoughts until Natsu emitted a thoughtful, "_Hrrmmm_."

"That's it," she sighed. "We're doomed. Stuck in this chapter forever, eternally meant to be a teapot and a freakin' candleholder."

"No," Natsu said, freezing where he was. Lucy turned in confusion as he repeated, "_no __**way!**__"_

Before Lucy could question Natsu, deafening roar burst throughout the castle, and the feeling invoked such pain and misery that they, in the same breath, gasped their horror.

She should have known better than to question Natsu's superior senses, even as a candleholder.

"Natsu," she whispered, and her voice shook. "Do you remember what happens in the fairy tale?"

Wordlessly, they both raced outside.

* * *

><p>And they were not the only ones that heard the uproar. The entire household burst outside to see Gajeel, slumped in front of the roses he tended to so strictly, and a man cackling above him.<p>

"Laxus?" Natsu sounded confused; that quickly changed to incensed. "That bastard, he _didn't-_"

"But he did," Erza said fiercely, coming up to watch the fight, joining the crowd of worried objects, "and what can _we_ do? We're nothing but a lot of helpless utensils."

"Erza," Natsu said quite seriously, as if something had suddenly dawned on him. "We have _numbers_."

Erza's voice turned to steel (no pun, seeing as she was a kitchen knife). "Numbers or not, there is nothing-!"

"Since when has risk stopped us before?"

The entire lot paused (it _was_ true; they were quite a reckless bunch), and as if the Fairy Tail spirit had washed over them, Lucy found herself surrounded by a humongous group of charging objects that were alternating between screaming profanity and cheering raucously.

"What the-? _Fuck_, get off me!" Laxus whirled around, irritably trying to swat away at the household objects. But Natsu was indeed right; they _did _have the numbers, and they just kept _coming_.

And Lucy saw that despite the grave situation, it was almost _funny_ how quickly the brawl had morphed into a typical Fairy Tail-esque bar fight. Mirajane was spanking Laxus with the end of her broomstick; Lisanna had whacked her doors into Laxus' face more than a few times, and Elfman himself had flung his entire being at Laxus (he bounced off harmlessly, but it was the thought that counted, after all).

Gajeel stared dumbly, and broke into a fit of laughter as Gray threw ice cubes down Laxus' pants (whose voice broke into a girly scream). Erza's violent tendencies had not been lost in this chapter; she cried out something that sounded suspiciously like '_For the cake!'_ and whacked at Laxus.

Laxus himself was dumbfounded (it wasn't every day that one got assaulted by a bunch of talking household objects) and clearly incensed. A vein twitched on his temple, and he wheeled to face Gajeel (as Natsu lit his pants on fire.)

"_You_," he hissed. "You will release these cursed pieces of shit and make them go away. _Now_."

"I dunno," Gajeel said sarcastically. "Seeing as how you just tried to kill me… I'll think about it."

Laxus picked up the twin swords; in response, Gajeel staggered to his feet, body tense (and cracking a toothy grin when Mirajane sneezed one of her deadly sneezes, causing Lucy to shriek in surprise and spill tea all over the seat of Laxus' pants).

"I haven't killed you _yet_," Laxus growled. "A mistake. I'll finish the job now-!"

"_UNCLE! WAIT!"_

Gajeel wheeled around, body still arced protectively over the rose, and his mouth floundered dumbly. He uttered an intelligent, "_Guaah?"_

"I told you not to call me that," Laxus' attention was averted as a small figure raced across the courtyard, panting and out of breath. "I don't want to be related to weaklings like you-"

"_Levy's back!_" Natsu cheered; Erza whacked him over the head (or candle) and told him to shut up and watch.

"Gajeel," Levy wheezed. "You-you're hurt!"

"No shit," he snorted. Levy gasped, offended, and he continued, "don't give me that look! You were the one who sent the damn guy after me in the first place!"

"I _didn't_," she groaned. "You know me, I wouldn't do that! It was Jet and Droy- _Uncle_! Put those down!"

Laxus sneered. "Make me." In one fluid movement, he flourished the swords and charged Levy.

The blunette cringed and held up her arms protectively, but a split second later told her she didn't have to; Gajeel had miraculously flashed in front of her, arms outstretched, protecting her. One of the swords, he caught with his bare hand; the other pierced his side, and Levy gave a little cry, porcelain hands fluttering over the wound.

Gajeel looked at the rose behind him (a single petal quivered on the edge), and at a teary Levy. He licked his cracked lips, and gave a hollow laugh. "Okay. I give up."

"_Gajeel_!"

"Kill me," Gajeel shrugged. "It's not much of a damn life living as some weird Monster anyway."

"Don't make it so easy," Laxus snorted as Gajeel gave a sideways smirk at Erza, whose demeanor instantly changed into that of glee (Lucy regarded her with a mix of horror and anticipation).

"UNCLE!" Levy shouted. "Don't! If you do, I'll, I'll…."

Laxus' eyes twitched almost infinitesimally. "You'll _what_?"

"I'll do… _it_."

Everyone present gasped in mock horror (even though Gajeel and the rest of the household objects had no idea what the hell she was talking about). Laxus floundered like a fish for a half second.

"You _wouldn_'_t_."

Levy smirked in her own little moment as Laxus faltered; the swords clattered to the ground.

"Wait, _what the hell?_" Gajeel stabbed the air in Laxus' direction. "This insane guy comes in, claims that he's gonna kill me, then almost kills _you_, and you stop him with… with three fucking words?"

"Language," Levy reprimanded, and Gajeel fell silent, much to everyone else's consternation. Gajeel opened his mouth to say something; she slapped a hand over his face, then shot Laxus a glare as he, too, started to protest. "Don't you _dare_. You _know_ what will happen."

Laxus looked utterly defeated; Gajeel, pissed that _he himself_ had no effect but this _tiny little squirt_ could stop the madman; and Levy was contained and self-pleased.

Natsu burst into laughter.

All three swiveled to face him, distraught; it was in that instant that Laxus was off guard that Erza's voice pierced the air.

"CHARGGEE!"

Lucy had thought this chapter was insane enough, and that it couldn't possibly get even more radical- she found herself proven wrong yet again.

The bounty hunter found himself surrounded by a group of kitchen knives with killer auras that were able to hurl themselves at him of their own will. Gajeel, the subject of his job, stood tauntingly close.

"Jet and Droy won't pay you," Levy said proudly, "if I tell them not to."

Laxus growled, but knives were knives and money was money. He wheeled out of the vicinity, cursing loudly as Gajeel watched the last rose petal quiver.

* * *

><p>Lucy watched the scene with bated breath (after all, the rather anticlimactic climax was over), praying to the heavens that they had gotten it right and they wouldn't be stuck in the chapter.<p>

(It had been odd enough _already_- how much worse could it get? Some random bounty hunter who would rather get paid than retain his honor had interrupted. Seeing as how Earthland Laxus didn't seem likely to do that, Lucy had a hard time telling what was what anymore.)

(She had to remind Natsu he had lost his magic to prevent him from chasing Laxus, screeching profanities and laughing like a madman, as well.)

(In the end, Erza dragged the arguing pair away so that the household could stalk- er, observe the scene that was going on.)

"Oh. Oh, well, fuck." Gajeel fell onto his knees hard, and crashed to the ground, inches away from the rose petal, now barely hanging on- any light gust would mean his doom. His hand jerked over his heavily bleeding side. "I guess… the curse is… irreversible by now, huh?"

"Irreversible? It could be reversed in the first place?" The blue-haired bookworm's voice was laced with confusion. "You never told me!"

"Must have slipped my mind," Gajeel evaded with a cringe. Levy tore off her jacket and ripped it to shreds, bandaging his side with the cloth tenderly, snorting at his answer.

"How? How can it be reversed?" Her glare at him slowly softened. "You know, it doesn't really seem like a curse. You're not that bad."

"It's not just me. My servants-" Gajeel groaned again, attempted to get out, and was pushed back down by Levy. "Damn. Guess I can't move. Look, it's all really stupid. Forget about it. You're back now, right?"

"Yes, I'm back," she snapped. "Lay still, and don't change the subject. How?"

He was uncharacteristically silent for a moment before laughing. "Love. Like all of those other cheesy shit stories with curses. I have to love and be loved in return."

Levy suddenly whacked Gajeel over the head without warning, and before he could protest, she very, very chastely pressed her lips to his cheek.

(Natsu almost let out a cheer here, but Lucy was caught up in the romance of it all and threatened to douse his candles with some well-placed Earl Gray. He shut up quickly.)

Gajeel's mouth dropped open as he stared wordlessly at Levy; the last rose petal fell, and Levy sighed, biting down on her lip as she tightened his bandages.

"I guess it is too late, isn't it?" She laughed, obviously trying to hide the resentment in her tone. "There's no time for you to…" her hands drew back, her fingers moving nervously. "For you to learn to… like me back, as well…"

All of a sudden, Lucy and Natsu began to glow.

"No, wait! I wanted to see what happens-" realization hit Lucy over the head. "Wait! Natsu! We're moving onto the next chapter!"

Natsu whooped loudly and then looked at the morphing teapot, puzzled. "Wait, what does that mean?"

All around Gajeel and Levy, the household objects were reverting to their human forms (Gray was, of course, naked). Lucy squealed as her already glowing form shone even brighter. The light receded to reveal the buxom blonde, stumbling to regain her balance.

Natsu fell right on top of Lucy, cackling his victory. Lucy sighed awkwardly; his face was too close for comfort.

"It means," she said, squirming, "that Gajeel isn't as hopeless as we all thought."

The guild members of Fairy Tail, household object extraordinaires, watched in confusion as Natsu and Lucy moved onto the next chapter.

* * *

><p>"They- they're all changing back," Levy said, astonished. She turned to Gajeel in confusion, who hadn't changed at all. "Wait, but, then, you…"<p>

"The curse," he seemed mildly irritated. "It didn't go away?"

Levy paused, and then smiled shyly. "Then… at the very least, it means you're willing to meet me halfway?" Seeing the odd look he was giving her, she waved her hands, explaining in a rush. "They turned back, but you didn't, and to break the curse, the requirements were to love and be loved in return. Seeing as how half of that has been fulfilled, yet the requirements were specifically to fulfill both, that means that you, even if only a little…" She floundered. "You… er, you… me…"

She blushed a vivid scarlet, and Gajeel sported a tiny flush of his own as he muttered for her and her only to hear, "be patient, shorty."

* * *

><p>AN: _**Please review before leaving!**_ I experimented a lot this chapter, so go ahead and tell me what I did right and what I failed epically at. This one's a super long one, and there were parts I really struggled with. Anyways! Thanks for your continued support! I'll be seeing you guys next chapter!

(By the way, you guys will _never_ guess what fairy tale is up next.)


	6. Chapter Five: Sinbad the Sailor Part I

Lucy didn't care where she was, but she knew that the bed was _warm_ and fluffy and oh-so-comfortable, and as such, she didn't move from her position, only snuggling into the bed even more. It was so… so _fluffly!_

(No matter that 'fluffly' wasn't even a word…)

She was so comfortable that she almost forgot that she was, in fact, stuck in a magical book with her dense loudmouth of a best friend, and that she could have been sleeping in a prison for all she knew.

The thought didn't occur to Lucy for a single second as she sighed into the comforter; but it most certainly sprang into her mind when a rough hand suddenly grabbed her, yanked the blonde from the sheets, and bound and gagged her.

Lucy tried to scream and struggled fiercely, but to no avail. She could have sworn that she heard a deep male voice curse, but she was too panicked to pay any attention. Instead, as a blindfold slipped over her eyes and she was forced into silence, she wondered for the millionth time where Natsu was whenever one needed him.

Her legs were tightly tied, which was a bummer- Lucy knew that while her power didn't match up to that of her teammates' (and Erza. _Oh, god, especially Erza when you had accidentally eaten her cake_), she could deal a mean kick.

Lucy _hated_ being a damsel-in-distress, but for now, she would patiently wait out the situation in hopes she could salvage it. Her captor uttered a grunt of relief that she had finally stopped struggling, and quickly raced away, feet padding along quickly, until at last she heard the quelling sound of the ocean and the boisterous talk of seamen.

(Well, she was now officially doomed, seeing as Natsu both hated water and _ships_.)

He actually despised anything that moved, Lucy thought bitterly, but this was in no way a pacifying thought; Natsu wouldn't be coming to save her any time soon if she were really being transported onto a ship.

Sure enough, the sounds of the waves and sailor-talk grew louder, and she was harshly dumped onto what she could only assume to be the deck of the ship. It was rocking slightly, and she was leaned against a mast; her hands were quickly tied to it.

The second Lucy's mouth was free, she spat out, _"You'll never get away with this!"_

"Don't try to struggle," came the monotonic reply. Lucy was shocked to hear that the voice sounded suspiciously like… _Erza?_ If only the blindfold would be removed…!

Bitter from the distinct knowledge that she had _no idea what chapter she was in _(and had there ever been a Fairy Tail like this, anyway?), Lucy settled into an angry silence, suppressing an angry huff.

It seemed like forever until the ship started, but Lucy was surprised to see the blindfold removed after what may or may not have been an hour or two. She opened her mouth to shout at her captors, or perhaps sweet-talk them into untying her hands…

…but her mouth snapped quickly to prevent it from seeming like she was openly gaping like a fish. "Erza!"

The scarlet-haired woman cocked a delicate eyebrow. "You know my name?"

Now that Lucy had her vision back, she could see the planks and boards of the ship, as well as the crew that was on it. "Gray! Juvia! Cana, Elfman, Mirajane, Lisanna!" Along with them were a varying amount of other people, all that she recognized from Fairy Tail. A surge of relief- from familiarity- was quickly fought down by panic from her unfamiliar surroundings.

Each of them showed varying distaste at her knowledge of their names, but it settled into suspicion. "Oi, Erza," Cana grunted. She took a swig from her bottle. "What's with the Princess knowing our names?" _Princess. Figured. _

Erza smirked, amused. "You guys probably weren't as careful as you were supposed to be when stealing into the streets." Her humor quickly evaporated; a snarl replaced the smile. "_When will you guys learn to behave as you should?_"

Pirates, Lucy realized with a sudden rush as the crew whimpered and crept away from the threatening Erza. Pirates had kidnapped her, and she was apparently a Princess (and she was starting to get pretty sick of the damsel in distress thing). Normally, this fact wouldn't have dissuaded her, but she knew that Natsu wasn't about to come and save her if she was on a _ship_.

So it shocked her when Natsu's voice rang out, "aw, c'mon, Erza. B-be nice…"

She watched as the pink-haired boy staggered out- a loving smile unconsciously spread across her face (upon realizing it was there, she bashfully wiped it away) as he grinned knowingly at her, then flinched and ran to the side of the ship to throw up.

"A-as I was saying," Natsu said when he was finished, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand shakily. "Th-the Princess is our _guest_." His lips curled oddly at the word; the blonde looked at him in confusion.

"Guest, my ass," Cana snorted. "Don't need to pretty up the words for the girl. If she's a hostage, _say_ she's a hostage. Dumbass."

Natsu scowled and limped over to Lucy, who was now more than wary. "You guys, give us some time to… _talk_." He placed emphasis on the word; Lucy bit down on her lip as the other crew members laughed and waved it off, dispersing to man the ship properly. Natsu attempted to stroll over to her, but failed miserably, falling over and tumbling in a roll to come to a stop next to her. Lucy bit back a laugh as he moaned and pushed himself up. Looked like Natsu was Natsu, no matter the situation.

"Lucy," Natsu hissed, leaning down to whisper into her ear. "Sorry 'bout this. I woke up on this ship, 'n they were calling me captain-" Natsu suddenly broke off when the boat gave a lurch, covering his hand with his mouth.

"Natsu," Lucy moaned, "if you're going to throw up, _please_ go away!"

He wobbled a bit. Lucy attempted to face-palm, which didn't work too well, seeing as her hands were still bound.

"So, anyway," he continued after a moment (Lucy tried to flinch away from his mouth, which didn't work so well, and _this being tied up thing really wasn't suiting well with her_), "I woke up on the ship and kinda threw up, and I saw Mirajane being all worried about me. They were calling me, uh…"

He broke off suddenly to rush to the edge of the deck and throw up. Lucy despaired- _just when he was getting to the point-!_

But then, light tapping alerted Lucy to another person's approach- craning her head, Lucy was met with the sweet face of Mirajane.

…or, it would have been sweet, were Mirajane not decked out in her Satan Soul clothes, her face and demeanor varied accordingly. Lucy shuddered as Mirajane crouched down and hissed threateningly, "Don't even try to think of escaping, bitch. We're watching you."

Lucy stared in complete and utter disbelief as the woman used two fingers to point at her own eyes and then Lucy's, and strode off haughtily. She tripped over her own feet, spluttered indignantly, and continued walking. Lucy was still unable to form words when Natsu staggered back to her.

"They were calling me _Sinbad_," Natsu moaned once, and fainted on the deck.

She took several minutes to register the fact that Mirajane was pretty much a total _demon_ before registering the fact that Natsu had fainted after explaining that he was supposedly Sinbad.

"Sinbad of the Seven Seas," Lucy whispered, admonishing herself for not having thought of it. Of course, it wasn't one of the most popular tales, but it was one of them nonetheless…

One that she couldn't seem to remember clearly, the blonde thought irritably as Natsu's crewmates gave Natsu one look and decided to leave him be. She knew that Sinbad was an extravagant adventurer that faced many mythical beasts for treasures, but that was about the extent of it…

She racked her brain, trying to recall anything she might have read about the story, but it played on the edges of her mind, and _Natsu was being completely useless_. She shot him a look as he winced with every creak from the ship.

It was hours later (Lucy was starting to become _seriously_ sore, and Natsu was _still_ moaning and groaning, because he just _had_ to be the captain of a _ship_) when Lisanna's voice cried out, "All clear!" and the crew burst into a loud cheer. Cana gave Lucy a sly smirk.

"Looks like taking the Princess hostage so we wouldn't be fired at was a good idea," she sniggered, and slung an arm around Lucy. "You haven't been shouting or even panicking or anything, though. You're pretty brave. Kudos to you."

"Well, we're done with her now that we've cleared the port," Erza said thoughtfully. "What should we do with the girl now?"

"Throw her overboard," was Mirajane's snide reply. Lucy shuddered (she was _never_ going to get used to this scary, different Mirajane) and weakly attempted,

"Can I be untied?"

They all exchanged looks before deciding that Lucy could do no harm, and untied her. Lucy stood up shakily, rubbing her wrists, and made for Natsu (who had moved to pitifully slumping over the edge of the ship next to the steering wheel, moaning).

"Is it really alright for her to be talking to the captain?" Lisanna asked her sister in a loud aside that had Lucy biting down on her tongue to keep from replying.

"Doesn't matter," remarked Mirajane. "It's not like she can _do_ anything. Look at those noodle-arms."

Lucy twitched, inspecting her arms as subtly as she could before deciding that they were _perfectly fine, thanks very much_, and stomped up to Natsu.

"Hey, snap out of it," Lucy groaned, shaking Natsu. A man walked up next to her- Macao, she recognized- and laughed at her attempts as he took the wheel.

"Forget about him," Macao said with a grin. "Sinbad's always like this."

"O-okay…" Lucy said, withdrawing hesitantly. She had wanted answers, but seeing as how Natsu was very clearly _not coherent_ (unless she somehow managed to decipher his babbles), she supposed that Macao would do; he didn't seem hostile, in any case. "So where are we going?"

"You shouldn't trouble yourself with that, Princess," Macao said lightly. Her title was almost an insult rolling off his tongue, and Lucy bristled. "We're gonna be dumping you somewhere the first chance we get, mind you. It shouldn't matter to you."

"Well," Lucy snapped, "if it doesn't matter, then it wouldn't hurt telling me, would it?"

He paused as if considering this, and offered her a grin. "You've got spirit, girl. I like that."

She waited, tapping a foot impatiently as Natsu shakily stood up and swayed from side to side, scarf breezing in the wind, carefree- Natsu obviously didn't share the same sentiments.

"We're gathering up the stars," Macao said with a wink, and gestured broadly at the vast sea; the sun was setting, giving the waters a gorgeous hue that Lucy appreciated momentarily before the sound of Natsu retching ruined it.

"Gathering the stars?" She puckered her lips, somehow getting the feeling that she knew where this was going.

"Princess," the older man mocked, "have you really not heard of the twelve Ecliptic Treasures of the sea?"

Lucy pouted at that; _twelve_? If they were going to be stuck in this chapter throughout the duration of finding twelve legendary treasures, she and Natsu could indeed be stuck in this chapter for a _long_ time…

Mistaking her pout for confusion, Macao continued, "There are supposedly twelve hidden treasures, one for each of the zodiacs, hidden amongst the islands around here. No one has found them, but…" he paused thoughtfully. "There _has_ been a myth of a Princess who would eventually be born with the ability to find them."

Lucy gave him a very pointed look; he smiled obliviously back until she said, exasperated, "You know, I _happen_ to be a Princess." Lucy struck a pose for emphasis (that failed comically when the boat rocked and she tottered over).

Macao gave her a patient smile that obviously showed _he had no idea what she was talking about_. Natsu, for once, was the one to shed light on the matter as he flubbed over to the two.

"_She_ could be the legendary…. Princesss…." Natsu warbled helpfully; Lucy gave him two reassuring pats on the back as he collapsed. Erza walked over to him and, so nonchalantly Lucy couldn't believe the woman was actually _doing_ it, she kicked Natsu's groin.

The poor pink-haired boy let out a high-pitched, girly shriek and promptly fainted.

Lucy had to suppress a snort as Erza shrugged Natsu over her shoulder. "It's better this way, after all. Besides, it'll only be a little longer before Wendy prepares the mixture."

"Wendy? Mixture?" Lucy echoed, playing the part of the oblivious Princess- it was enjoyable to be able to flutter her eyelashes dramatically, and-

Erza ignored her; Lucy sulked. After a moment of inspecting Natsu for signs of consciousness, Erza said, "Wendy's our healer. She usually mixes up a mixture of herbs to cure his motion sickness for a while, but since she says he'll grow immune to it if he takes it too much, he can only take it once in a while."

Lucy grinned- _it was just like Earthland, after all_- and trailed after Erza as the scarlet-haired woman led the blonde to the lower decks of the ship with Natsu still twitching spastically over her back. It was dark but somehow retained the inviting feel of the Fairy Tail guild- there were even scorch marks on several walls, undoubtedly from Natsu.

Erza made a point to hit the said boy a few times to get him to stop thrashing whenever he stirred; Lucy couldn't help but feel pity for him.

They stepped into a small cabin, and Lucy was mildly surprised to see Wendy in a womanly body rather than that of a little girl's, pleasantly smiling and greeting Erza.

"It's finished," Wendy said lightly, taking Natsu from the older woman's arms gently. Lucy stared in consternation as Wendy offered the sickly Natsu a smile so gentle that- _oh god, it was different from Earthland, so freakin' different-_ Lucy couldn't help but bite down her lip, wanting to say something, but was unable to form the words.

Wendy of Earthland, the little dragonslayer, was an adorable little girl who obviously shared a familial bond with Natsu and Gajeel- brothers and sister; that was how almost all of the guild saw their endearing interaction. But watching this womanly, beautiful Wendy, Lucy couldn't help but feel that this Wendy's feelings for Natsu were far from that of a sister's.

Her long hair swept gracefully over her shoulder as she carefully cradled Natsu and spooned an odd-smelling mixture down his throat. He hacked several times before managing to swallow it, and the effect was immediate. Lucy watched as he slowly popped open one eye; then another, and leapt up in celebration.

"Wendy! Thank you so much!" He grabbed the petite woman and hugged her- a lovely smile spread over her face as Wendy returned the hug (and the hug practically emanated a brother-sister bond, yet Lucy couldn't stop herself from being suspicious).

"You'd think that this was the first time I'd helped you," she laughed. Natsu grinned sheepishly as he pulled back. His hands were still on her porcelain skin.

Lucy couldn't suppress the gnawing feeling in her gut as she watched the scene. Somehow, she wanted to scream at Wendy, or claw at her, or-

-no, that was terrible! What was she thinking? Lucy averted her eyes to the wooden planks as Natsu turned to the blonde and gave her a bright smile that would normally have her laughing in return. She grimaced in his general direction instead, though Natsu remained oblivious and quickly dragged her out of the cabin and into the cramped halls.

"Let me go," Lucy muttered, just loud enough for his keen ears to catch. Natsu gave her a curious look, but released her hand slowly. Together, they walked back out onto the open deck. The sea breeze curled her tresses around her face in a comfortable embrace, but she couldn't bring herself to stop… to stop being so _angry_. She glanced at Natsu (who was just as happily ignorant as ever), and pushed out her bottom lip in irritation.

"So, the fairy tale?" Natsu prompted when she didn't speak for a while. She let out a sigh- _no getting around this_.

"Sinbad the Sailor," she bit out. "You ever hear of it?"

"What?" Natsu paused, his eyebrows furrowing adorably (and _no, bad Lucy_! She was supposed to be _mad_ at him, for crying out loud) before saying, "no, I don't think Igneel ever read something like that to me-"

She let out an aggravated sigh and slumped against the rails of the deck, peeking through the spaces to gaze at the sea- was it her, or was something in sight?

Natsu plopped down next to her, frowning. "What's wrong, Lucy? Is something bothering you?"

"No," she said, much too quickly to be convincing. Natsu's frown dipped even lower, but just then, there was a shout from the crow's next.

"Sinbad!" Lisanna's voice soared throughout the ship. "An island!"

Natsu immediately jumped and climbed up the shrouds, springing himself upwards past the mizzenmast and into the nest in singular, fluid motions. Lucy couldn't help but envy his athletic ability, just like she couldn't help but envy Wendy's ethereal beauty-

Lucy curled up and pouted into her legs. She was _not_ jealous. Not jealous. Not jealous. Not jealous-

"You alright, Princess?" Lucy looked up to see Erza standing over her, hands on her hips. The blonde bit her lip before shaking her head and standing up. Her conflicted feelings could be dealt with later; for now, getting out of the chapter (and away from that accursedly beautiful Wendy- no, _stop_) was first and foremost.

"I'm alright," she lied. She knew Erza saw through it, but she barreled right on through anyway, "so are we going to stop here?"

"To search for the treasure," Erza nodded. "I'm not sure what makes Sinbad think he can find a legendary treasure on islands that hundreds of people have searched through before, but he always pulls through in the end." She paused briefly, and added, "He always does. He's very reliable."

There was a tone of admiration in the scarlet-haired woman's voice that Lucy didn't like, and the blonde searched Erza's serious eyes momentarily before looking away to watch as the island neared her view. Was Erza, too, enamored with Natsu…?

"I'm overreacting," Lucy groaned, burying her face into her arms, folded across the railings. She knew that Earthland Wendy and Erza had nothing but familial bonds with Natsu (so why didn't _she_?), but this wasn't Earthland, and their tones struck Lucy as anything but familial (despite the nagging voice in her head that insisted she was just reading too much into things)…

"Are you sure you're alright?" Erza's voice broke her thoughts, and Lucy nodded weakly at the touch of concern she had heard. Erza nodded tightly before going to help with the preparations.

Lucy watched the waves roll by, biting down on her lip. There was no way she was actually _jealous_. Sure, she and Natsu had been through a lot before, but to be _jealous?_ Of Erza, and Wendy-? The girl craned her head up to the crow's nest, where Natsu was talking animatedly to a laughing Lisanna, and felt the heavy feeling kick in once more. Not just them, but _Lisanna_ as well? All three were beautiful women that she couldn't possibly compete with-

-and oh, god. Her thoughts did _not_ just go there. Lucy clenched her teeth; Natsu was a _friend_, and certainly not someone she would compete for romantically! A friend, a friend, nothing more and nothing less-

"Lucy!" Natsu leapt over the side of the nest and slid down the shrouds easily to grab her and jump off the ship before she could protest. The blonde mage stifled a shriek as he clutched her hand to his (and it was warm and comfortable- _wait, no-)_. They easily cleared the last meter to the island's silky sand- the dragonslayer caught Lucy in his arms and set her upright, blushing and stuttering.

"W-what was that?" She demanded furiously. "No warning o-or anything-!" Natsu shrugged, giving her a toothy grin.

"No matter. You want to get out of the chapter right?" He watched as she nodded slowly, and laughed. "Then the best way is to hurry up and accomplish what seems to be the storyline so we can get out of the book and back home."

Lucy felt her own lips twitch upward at his enthusiasm- it wasn't going to be as easy as he said, (and she couldn't even remember how thick the book had been!) but she knew he was right. She had to focus on their goal before her own petty feelings.

"Right," she laughed in response, forcing herself to ease up (because she wasn't jealous. At all). "Where do we start?"

The pink-haired boy looked at her blankly. "I dunno. I thought you would know…"

Lucy hissed.

Natsu chuckled throatily before producing a map from… (well, she didn't even want to go there) of the current island they were on as well as the surrounding ones, and Lucy saw that all twelve of them were very oddly small, and placed in a pattern that was peculiarly familiar… was it her, or was her expertise as a stellar spirit mage telling her that the islands seemed to be placed in a pattern similar to that of a _constellation_…?

"If I were a treasure, where would I hide myself?" Natsu asked aloud, stroking an invisible mustache. Lucy attempted to kick him and failed epically.

Natsu's- Sinbad's- crew began to pile onto the beach; Natsu issued a brief, confident order for them to split up in groups and scour the island. With a cocky grin, he grabbed Lucy and ran off deeper into the island without sparing his crew a second glance.

"Sinbad certainly seems enamored with that Princess," Lisanna said, a sly grin spreading over her face. "It's kinda cute~"

"It's about time that thick boy showed interest in the opposite gender," Wendy sighed fondly, curling a finger in her locks. Erza nodded in approval.

"He'll probably screw it up, knowing his idiotic tendencies," the scarlet-haired woman snorted. Lisanna scoffed teasingly and the three went off to obey their captain's orders.

* * *

><p>"Natsuuu," Lucy whined. "We've been at this for <em>hours<em>."

"I'm sure it's around here _somewhere_," Natsu chortled, stopping to check the bushes once in a while. "And I'm definitely going to find it! I'll beat Erza to it, too!" He watched as the spirit mage's face fell a little at the mention of Erza, but brushed it off. She was probably tired or something…?

"But we've searched almost everywhere," she pressed. "The treasure isn't in the cliffs _or_ caves _or_ waterfalls _or_ most of the trees, and I'm sure that most of the crew is finished searching for the day-"

"Lucy," Natsu said very suddenly, coming to an abrupt stop to turn and study her face. She shifted uncomfortably, making him grin amusedly. "It's okay if you can't keep up. If you're tired, I'll just carry you."

He watched a blush work its way across her face, wondering for the umpteenth time _why_ she was blushing (it couldn't be that she-? Nah, Lucy didn't think of him that way, and he was still confused from that weird Sleeping Beauty chapter).

"I-I'm heavy," Lucy warned.

"And I'm strong," he huffed, stepping towards her. They were standing in front of a waterfall, and she seemed to notice that they were nearing the water's edge with a nervous laugh. "C'mon. If you're tired…"

"I-i-i-it's okay!" She stuttered out, taking another step back. Natsu grinned wickedly.

"Or could it be," he wondered aloud, "that your breath smells or something, and you don't want me to smell it?"

Lucy twitched and took a moment to take off her shoe and heave it at his head; the slipper bounced off without much of any impact. "Y-you idiot! You really can't understand a single thing I'm thinking, can you?"

"Of course not," Natsu blinked, stepping closer, arms outstretched. "You're such a weirdo-"

Lucy took another step back and tripped over the edge between the land and the water's surface; Natsu assessed and reacted, instinct taking over as he reached out for her-

A little too late, though. The two toppled into the water and were swept away by the currents. It was just _wonderful_, Natsu realized, because Wendy's herbal mix had long since worn off, and he felt a wave of nausea wash over him as his body went limp.

Lucy seemed to realize this, and gripped his body to hers tightly (his face was getting squished in her _ginormous-_) as they hurtled down the waterfall. Natsu suppressed a feeling of what seemed to be a need to vomit and embarrassment (though he had seen her _assets_ up and close many times, so it wasn't _that_ different, was it?).

The blonde, however, did scream loudly. They plunged into a (conveniently placed) lake headfirst, Lucy gripping Natsu into her chest with a death grip.

Natsu took a moment to recover from the feeling of constant movement as he took Lucy's hand and they started to swim to the surface, when his eyes caught a blurred darkness in the water in the face of the lake…

Natsu gestured to Lucy; they surfaced once, took a deep breath, and plunged into the murky depths once more.

It seemed like his lungs would burst, but the two finally surfaced in a small cave, inhaling deeply. "AIR!" He celebrated, climbing onto the cave floor in relief.

Lucy was coughing but seemed otherwise alright. "Where are we? You don't think that this could be where the treasure is?"

He scoffed lightly. "Of course. What else could it be? You were with me, and I wouldn't have found it if you weren't there."

She cocked an eyebrow. "No, I'm pretty sure you would have found it either way."

"Well, you were there to hold on to me," he grinned. "And if you weren't there, I wouldn't have found the motivation to get back up!"

She was blushing again, he noted. She really _was_ weird. He studied her face for a moment- he hadn't given much thought towards any romantic possibilities involving her, but now, alone in a small space, he couldn't help but wonder…

The thought made a blush of his own faintly whisper across his cheeks; he scowled and turned his attention to the small pool of water that was in the center of the dim chamber.

"This… is…?" Lucy touched the surface, and it rippled lightly under her touch.

At that moment, a slim hand suddenly broke through and clutched Lucy's hand, dragging her into the pool.

"LUCY!" Natsu roared, and frantically attempted to dive in after her.

His blood ran cold when all his hand felt was slick mud.

* * *

><p>Lucy couldn't hold her breath any longer; she opened her mouth and gasped for air, expecting cold water to rush in (and how could a tiny little pool of water be so <em>deep<em>), but was surprised that her lungs were relieved. Listening to her heart slowly calming down now that she could breathe, all she could tell was that she was surrounded by water…

"You looked pretty stupid with your cheeks all round when you were holding your breath."

"Aquarius!" Lucy gasped, and turned around towards the source of the voice, squinting. She could barely make out the form of Aquarius in the water.

"Damn straight, brat," Aquarius swam closer and eyed Lucy with a revulsion that had Lucy squirming.

"U-uh, so, what's going… on?" She attempted. Aquarius shook her head disbelievingly.

"You had the _gall_," the spirit hissed, "to get yourself sucked into a fucking magical book, you idiotic brat!"

Lucy's jaw dropped. Aquarius reached out and slammed it shut; Lucy narrowly avoided getting her tongue bitten.

"You piss me off," the mermaid-like spirit continued. "We're _spirits_. We live in another world entirely- no, in the freakin' stars- no fucking way we'd be _affected_ by a magic as weak as this-"

"Loki was," Lucy reminded. The spirit glared.

"That _freak_ is an exception," Aquarius hissed, and then gave a pause. "That, or a really good actor. It's hard to tell with that guy."

Lucy groaned at the memory of the first chapter. "Look, Natsu and I are supposed to be looking for a treasure-"

"Oh, and don't even _remind_ me of that pink-haired sissy!" Aquarius threw up her hands in annoyance; it sent a little wave of water towards Lucy, who was confused at the reaction. That was quickly explained with Aquarius'; "I've been _waiting_ ever since you two met for you guys to get together!"

If Lucy was surprised before, this new shock blew her mind. "Wha-?"

"Don't you '_wha_' me!" was the hissed reply. "You two were meant to be, and it's no fun lording the fact that I have a boyfriend and you don't when there's so much _sexual tension_ between you and that fire-spewing idiot, and-"

"Wait, wait," Lucy spluttered indignantly, "what do you mean, '_sexual tension_'?"

"Oh please," the stellar spirit snorted. "Anyone with _two eyes_ can see that you two have the hots for each other. That pink-haired brat is the most idiotic person alive, and even _I_ can tell he likes you. And I've only seen him like, what, three times?"

"You're _kidding_ me," the spirit mage groaned. "We're _friends_, nothing-" she stopped when she realized that her train of thought was following her thoughts earlier in the day. Mental images of Wendy, Erza, and Lisanna flashed in her mind's eye, and she couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence.

Aquarius momentarily gloated in Lucy's silence before giving her a gentle (but loving- and it still managed to hurt) slap across the face.

"A-Aquarius?"

"You. Like. Him." Aquarius snarled. "Can't you get it in your head, you moron?" The blonde's mind froze, digesting the idea.

She.

Lucy.

Actually _liked_…

Natsu…?

Like _THAT_?

….awefja;w39afj[3p.

Aquarius once again lightly 'tapped' Lucy before breathing out, "_Please_, Lucy. You're not as dumb as that idiot, though you're still pretty bad. Don't tell me you haven't realized that you two are perfect for each other in your stupidity?"

Lucy looked at her spirit with a small smile threatening to break out. "Was that… actually something almost _nice_ coming from you?"

Aquarius scowled, embarrassed, and Lucy allowed a fond smile of her own as Aquarius continued. "Whatever. I'm sure you've already figured it out, but the twelve _'treasures'_ are just the golden keys. But they're pointless to the actual plot of the story."

"Wait," Lucy blinked. "You _know the plot of the story-?_"

"Of course I do," Aquarius smirked.

"Then what-?"

"And I'm not telling you." Aquarius vanished with a laugh; Lucy felt something small and metallic in the palm of her hand amidst the water, and opened her mouth to say something, perhaps berate Aquarius in hopes she would hear…

But instead, water rushed in and filled Lucy's lungs and she panicked, thrashing; in the confusion, a strong, muscled hand gripped her arm and pulled her out, dripping. The blonde's eyes met with Natsu's own concerned ones, and she immediately choked with relief. Water spilled out of her mouth (Natsu unceremoniously pounded Lucy's back) and she coughed for a good five minutes until she regained her breath.

"Lucy, are you okay?"

She grinned, absorbing the details of his face- the pink hair wasn't _that_ girly, really, and he wasn't bad looking, either… had she been in denial, after all? Had she actually been _jealous_ of her nakama? The idea was… well…

"I found the treasure," she held out her hand, and revealed Aquarius' golden key. Natsu snorted.

"You mean your keys are actually…?" He seemed disappointed that the treasure wasn't a pile of gold coins of some sort. "That kinda sucks."

"Yeah, it's stupid, right?" She giggled at his fallen face- he was kinda _cute_, after all- and silently hoped that the other keys wouldn't be as hard… "Actually, speaking of which," she wondered aloud, "Aquarius mentioned something about the keys not being necessary to the plot or something."

Natsu was obviously curious about how Lucy had managed talked to her stellar spirit in a tiny pool of water, but decided instead to query, "Then do ya know how we're getting out of this chapter?"

"I don't know. But we'll just do things your way, right?" Lucy grinned. "Straightforward and taking things as they go."

Natsu brightened at the idea. "Well, duh." He offered a toothy grin.

The blonde stellar spirit mage returned it with a reassuring smile in and then sighed. If nothing else, Aquarius _had_ been right… Natsu grabbed her hand and they took a deep breath before plunging into the water to return to Sinbad's crew.

Natsu was indeed the densest person that had ever existed, Lucy sulked silently. It had been… _difficult_ enough admitting that she, ah _liked_, him, but… Getting _Natsu_ to realize that she actually liked him?

She was so screwed.

* * *

><p>AN: _**Please stop to leave a review before leaving!**_ Again, a little different style, but I hope it suited this chapter alright. I split it this chapter into two parts because it seemed a little too long to fit into one… Anyways, as always, suggestions and criticism are welcome, as are any sort of feedback. I can't tell you how much your comments motivate me to write faster~


	7. Chapter Five: Sinbad the Sailor Part II

Lucy's clammy fingers clenched on the elaborate handle of the eighth key, Sagittarius, as she managed a victorious smile.

Sure, the temperature was torrid despite being well past noon, and _sure_, Natsu's presence only made the heat worse, but it was a triumph nonetheless! The blonde felt her lips part in a laugh as Natsu crowed his mirth.

The moment was broken quickly when Natsu became aware that her shoes had somehow caught on fire, and pounced at her feet; she screeched when he attempted to eat her shoes.

After several moments of flailing, awkward disentangling of limbs (and Lucy's face was so hot that the heat of the day had _nothing_ on her), and some squeaks whenever Natsu so much as tried to _lick_ her shoes, they managed to leave the forest clearing they had stumbled across.

Natsu ran ahead as soon as the fire was extinguished, happily babbling about the food he would catch when they met up with the rest of their crewmates and debating on whether or not he would take a nap. Lucy trailed after him, absently fingering the keys they had collected so far.

Natsu had immediately attacked Sagittarius the moment they encountered him, only to have Sagittarius surrender himself with no qualms. Lucy felt as if they still hadn't gotten to the hard part yet. Sure, Aquarius had mentioned that the keys themselves weren't a part of escaping the chapter, but that was the only plot point that had presented itself to them so far, and otherwise, the two were out of possibilities for escaping the Sinbad chapter.

And Natsu, well… since her sudden eureka moment, she hadn't had a chance to be alone with him without Wendy fawning over his motion sickness (and who _cared_ if it was out of sisterly affection?), Erza inquiring about various battle strategies (it was still hard to digest that Natsu was on par with Erza in this world), Lisanna chatting him up (which she _refused_ to take lightly), Mirajane trying to kick her ass ( Lucy was starting to understand Mirajane's old nickname of 'Demon'), or…

…or Lucy herself chickening out at the last second, unable to form words what with her thoughts being so jumbled.

She looked up at Natsu as the sea came into view. He was wearing his regular, tattered clothes proudly (which, oddly enough, fit extremely well as pirate attire) as he turned, beckoning at her to hurry up.

"What's taking you so long, Lucy?" He pursed his lips and snickered when she sent him an irritated glance. "Let's get back to the ship already! We have to head out, or we won't be able to reach the next island before tomorrow morning!"

"Since when were you actually _eager_ to get on a ship?" Lucy sighed, and Natsu considered her words before shrugging.

"Wendy is sure helpful no matter the universe," he said as they stepped onto the sand. He said her name gratefully, almost reverently- _no._ The blonde shook her head at her own reaction. There was no way that _Natsu_ of all people would be attracted to anyone, much less have her on his mind like she had Natsu on her mind...

That thought alone was enough to depress her as they clambered up the ship and found themselves surrounded by the rowdy members of Natsu's- Sinbad's- crew.

"Party?" Natsu beamed, no doubt eager to bring the ship down in flames. Lisanna, who was unfurling the sails, rolled her eyes.

"As long as you minimize the damage, Sinbad," she shrugged, and gave him a blinding smile (that immediately had Lucy gritting her teeth). "We're just celebrating getting so many of the treasures in a week after searching for them for so long."

"Lucy's my good luck charm," the flame mage winked, and Lisanna sent Lucy a coy smile that had her flushing from head to toe. The white-haired girl laughed when Lucy ducked out from under Natsu's arm as he attempted to sling it casually over her shoulders.

"Oi, Princess!" Cana called from behind a group of barrels on deck. She and several others were drinking feverishly from them while casually throwing cards into the center of their circle. "Wanna share a drink or two?"

"I don't drink," was Lucy's immediate response as she gave an awkward smile. The crew members had certainly grown more accustomed to having Lucy around. Despite the fact that they were the same people she knew and loved back home, she couldn't help but feel like an outsider in comparison to Natsu. The blonde was only comfortable around a select few, such as Cana or Erza.

"Well," Cana persisted in a carouse, "why not join us for a game of strip poker?" She waggled her eyebrows suggestively. Lucy stammered, vehemently denying the offer, resulting in loud guffaws from Cana's drinking buddies.

The blonde girl settled for sitting on the sidelines as Natsu swung around the masts and shrouds, hopping about the swing guns like they were toys (Mirajane uttered feral snarls as she attempted to get Natsu to stop messing with the weaponry). The rest of the crew were getting drunk and playing music, dancing around boisterously.

Lucy gave a wistful smile. The atmosphere was just like Fairy Tail's, and yet she couldn't just naturally fit in like she did back on Earthland. It made her wonder how Natsu was able to act so at _home_, no matter the circumstances.

Light thuds alerted Lucy to someone approaching her- she looked up to meet the serious, ashen eyes of Erza, who gave Lucy a tentative smile and seated herself beside her.

"Are you alright, Princess?"

"Just call me Lucy," Lucy muttered to her hands, fiddling with the keys again. "'Princess' is too formal."

Erza was silent for a moment, analyzing Lucy's face. The spirit mage scrunched up her features and ducked her head in response, avoiding eye contact. "Lucy," Erza finally said with a small smile, "You don't need to be so detached from the rest of us. I've seen how you've interacted with Sinbad, and you're not as stiff as everyone seems to think you should be. I'm sure Lisanna and Wendy know that, too."

Lucy blinked slowly, and gave a sigh. "I'm just… homesick, I guess." It wasn't exactly a _lie_, per se- she knew that she wanted to escape the book and return home, but another part of her was _enjoying_ that she was able to be with Natsu like this, and was bitter of the fact that she had to _share_ him with others...

(Wait, since when was he hers to share to begin with?)

Erza laughed as Lucy huffed in frustration, and grabbed the smaller girl's hands, pulling her to stand upright. "We're celebrating success after having countless unsuccessful searches, you know, and it's all thanks to you. It's only right that you join in on the fun."

"I have a feeling you guys would have gotten along just _swimmingly_ without me," Lucy grouched, glancing at Natsu, who danced an odd jig with Wendy as Lisanna and Elfman played large, hefty instruments that she didn't recognize. They were happy, they were free-spirited, and for some reason, Lucy couldn't bring herself to stop being so… so _petty_! It was so unlike her to even think these kinds of thoughts…

The scarlet-haired woman smiled mysteriously as if she could tell what the girl was thinking- and knowing Erza's surprising insight, it was entirely possible- and pushed the girl (albeit a bit roughly) towards her merry friends, who were happily chattering. "Enjoy yourself, and lighten up. It doesn't suit someone like you to be jealous."

"I-I'm not jealous," Lucy sputtered, feeling the lie burn on her tongue. Erza rolled her eyes; Lucy babbled incoherently, coming up blank for an excuse, and decided that _now_ would be a good time to make her escape. She'd have to face the music sooner or later, anyway (and besides, anything was preferable to Erza being _sadistic_).

The second she entered the midst of about thirty, someone grabbed her palm and swung her about in a whirl.

"Ma-Macao!" Lucy gasped out as the aged man smiled fondly, linking arms with her and raising a mug that was sloshing its contents over its sides.

"It's my pleasure to dance with you too, Princess," he laughed merrily, and she returned the favor with a giggle. Lisanna and Elfman changed the tune into an even faster-paced, jolly tempo, and Macao twirled her around in time with the music. They danced jovially for a moment as the people around them did the same, occasionally jostling them in the rush of movement. After a moment, Macao yelled over the flurry, "I'm sorry for being a bit stand-offish when we met!"

"It's okay," Lucy replied absently, voice barely rising over the noise, "I… I didn't really mind." She could see Natsu with Mirajane now, who, despite her hostility to Lucy, seemed almost arrogantly comfortable dancing with her captain.

"Ah, _I see_," Macao said, his voice taking on the same lilt as Erza's had. "A thing for our Sinbad, eh, Princess? Didn't think he was your type."

Lucy bit back the denial threatening to burst (if she couldn't face the truth with someone who wasn't even from her world, how could she possibly confess to Natsu himself?), and sullenly intoned, "So what if he is?" She _couldn't_ deny that she liked him because, oh, did she _ever_. Too freakin' much. She suppressed a groan- the idiot was just as endearing as he was dense.

A curious glint suddenly shone in Macao's eye as something dawned over him. His grip on her fingers tightened, and his body straightened to align with hers as they came to a stop. Lucy blinked in confusion as Macao leaned closer, his mouth curving upwards in an amused arc as his hot breath blew uncomfortably across her face-

"Move," an irritated voice broke in.

The two looked up (Lucy, surprised; Macao, expectantly) to see Natsu, his brow twitching almost infinitesimally (but Lucy knew him well, and she caught it), his muscular arm already pushing the older man aside. "Go dance with Wendy or something, Macao. The Princess is off limits for you."

"I understand, I understand," Macao snorted, raising his hands. "Private property, eh?"

"No!" Lucy spluttered at the same time Natsu snarled, feral.

Lucy gaped in open surprise; Macao chortled, waving it off to join arms with a drunk-past-coherent-speech Cana, who was laughing maniacally as she danced (while trying to strip off her clothes; Gray was as well, though he wasn't half as drunk nor conscious of doing it).

"Natsu?" Lucy tried vainly to squash the hope that threatened to present itself. Natsu, _jealous_? That wasn't possible… unless it was of something stupid, like horns (the memory of Garuna Island came to mind), or of someone having more power than him.

"We've been here for a week," Natsu stuck out his tongue childishly at Macao's retreating back as he took Lucy's hands (she couldn't help but stare in trepidation at his fingers, laced with hers). "The Macao here is even pervier than the one back at Fairy Tail, and that's saying something, the freak."

"He's not a freak," the blonde shot back defensively; Macao was actually quite nice to her (especially in comparison to some of the other crew members). "_You_ breathe fire, and he drinks alcohol. Which one is stranger?"

"Obviously him. That stuff is nasty compared to fire," Natsu spat out as Lisanna and Elfman changed the melody to slower one. "C'mon, Lucy. This song sucks." The fire mage pulled Lucy away from the dancing people to stand by the edge of the railing, hand warm on hers.

She bit back a surprised squeal and tugged her hand from his ever so slightly, earning herself a curious glance from Natsu. He shrugged and looked away, staring out at the rippling waves. From behind them, Mirajane loudly ordered for the food to be put away, as they were about to set sail.

"So why did you interrupt us?" Lucy wondered aloud, casually throwing her arms over the wood to lean on the railing. Perhaps jealousy was too much to ask for… maybe he had felt a surge of protectiveness? That would be better than nothing, really. Especially when it came to Natsu, who always alternated between a surprising seriousness and dense idiocy.

"Just cuz," Natsu groused, turning to face away from her.

Irritation welled in her gut. She bit down on her lip, leaning over to try to get a good look at his face- he ducked away stiffly. "What's up with you, Natsu? Normally you'd be saying absolutely everything on your one-track mind."

"Almost everything," Natsu corrected, not even bothering to be offended, before tacking on, "and I only did it cuz Macao is a disgusting old pervert."

Lucy wasn't dense; she'd read plenty of romance novels, and this scene seemed quite familiar to her. A smile threatening to stretch over her cheeks, she asked slyly, "Are you… _jealous_?"

The word made Natsu turn to look at her, an odd expression in his eyes. She stared back with a frown, wondering exactly what the idiot was thinking (though no one had ever known what the loudmouth was thinking anyway). "Natsu?"

"Lucy," Natsu began, uncharacteristically serious. A blush bloomed over her cheeks despite herself at the implications of his deep baritone. If he _were_ jealous, then how would she react? What if he were to actually like her back even a little…? She stared intently, completely aware of her heart (the cursed thing was beating faster and faster) as Natsu continued, "Look, it's just-"

The lovely anticipation of the moment was broken abruptly when Natsu suddenly clutched his stomach (apparently, the herbal medicine had worn off), and the boat gave a lurch as it groaned into motion, beginning its departure for the next island. Natsu heaved and gurgled, throwing himself over the side of the ship miserably, already starting to make puking noises.

Lucy quickly backed away before he could start retching everywhere, sighing at the lost opportunity as she retreated down into the crew's quarters.

* * *

><p>The blonde spirit mage tossed and turned in the covers, but she just couldn't sleep. It hadn't been easy adjusting to the constant rocking of the large ship while sleeping, but she had managed it; tonight, however, she was feeling uneasy (and it wasn't only because of Natsu's queasy moans, loud enough that they traveled all the way across the ship from the captain's quarters).<p>

For god's sake, Natsu was so _frustrating_! And to make it worse, she was always coming to insane, embarrassing conclusions (Lisanna was understandable, sure, but Erza and Wendy and even _Mirajane?_ She _had_ to be going insane).

Liking Natsu was the hardest thing Lucy had ever done in her life.

She irritably snuck a glance from under the covers out a porthole- all that was visible at the moment was the dark, vast sea. It was otherwise empty (like Natsu's head).

The door gave a loud creak as it squeaked open, and Lucy turned her head to see who it was. Wendy, in all of her lovely buxom glory, gave a little apologetic smile.

"May I come in?"

"Sure, I guess," Lucy returned the smile, doing her best to shove away any petty thoughts she might have (mostly regarding Natsu, and would he _please_ get the hell out of her mind?) and sitting up on the bed. "I wasn't sleeping, anyway."

Wendy chuckled and stepped in, closing the door behind her. The candlelight flickered against her face, and Lucy couldn't help but stare at her features. So _pretty_… how could she possibly compete with that?

"Princess." Wendy cleared her throat. "I've noticed that you seem to be troubled."

"Maybe," Lucy hedged. The dark-haired woman gave the blonde a stern look until she cowered and conceded: "Okay, a _little_."

"Regarding our Sinbad," Wendy said matter-of-factly, and Lucy's jaw dropped open.

"I-I-I, well, i-it's not that, I mean, I don't-" _Damn it_. She hadn't been _that_ obvious, had she?

As if picking up on her thoughts, Wendy laughed. "It's obvious, Princess," the healer continued gently, and Lucy snapped her mouth shut, forcing back any mordant comments she had. Wendy was obviously trying to help.

"Obvious to everyone but Natsu, I guess," she grumbled, throwing her head back on the pillows.

"That's what I came here to talk to you about," Wendy said soothingly. "Sinbad is loud and dense, I know, but you're just the kind of person for him."

The spirit mage peeked out from under the covers timidly, almost afraid to ask: "W-what makes you say that…?"

"I mean," the older woman laughed, waving a hand. "You're sensible and you put up with Sinbad's antics as if you've known him for years-" (at this, Lucy barely bit back an "I _have!_")- "You're kind but you hold him back from things that are overly stupid. And you're a very pretty girl, might I say."

Lucy flushed with pleasure that someone like Wendy could compliment her like that, but her thoughts quickly spiraled back down. "I-I don't know… I mean, I like him, but… the dunce never _gets_ it! He wouldn't know it if it hit him in the face."

She would know- she _had_ hit his face. Many, _many_ times… (multiple situations involving lingerie and nachos came to mind.)

Wendy offered yet another gentle smile. "That's just it, Lucy- may I call you that?" Lucy gave a nod, and the older woman continued, "You'll have to be patient with Sinbad. He'll come into realization of his own feelings in time, but _you_, you have to wait it out. Continue to love him unconditionally, and he'll eventually recognize and reciprocate it."

"_Love_?" Lucy felt her face heat up past normal temperatures again, and _curse the fact that Natsu could make her feel like this!_ "I- I don't know if I, well, I mean, 'love' is an awfully strong word-"

But Wendy only winked and stood up to leave. "You'll see, Lucy. Get some sleep, dear. You'll need it for when we reach the next island."

The door shut as Wendy left, leaving Lucy to her own jumbled thoughts once more.

* * *

><p>It was a loud crash, followed by panicked shouts and more bangs that awoke Lucy. The entire ship shook violently. Lucy shot up, threw aside the covers and tossed on the clothes she had worn yesterday, courtesy of Erza.<p>

The floor tilted under her feet and quivered violently again before Lucy managed to regain her balance and slam the door open, racing to the top deck.

The racket was much louder out in the open, and the panic she'd felt the second she awoke suddenly increased tenfold at what she saw.

Splinters and planks of wood were scattered amidst a frenzy of movement; Natsu was shouting orders as the crew assembled around him, moving about the deck and protecting the important parts of the ship. The air reeked of magic.

Lucy's hand trailed down to her side, her fingers reaching towards the gate keys. Cana raced by, gnashing her teeth as she drew out her cards.

"Cana! What's going on? We haven't even reached the next island yet!" Lucy fell in step with the brunette, who didn't slow down.

"Look for yourself, Princess," the woman huffed. They came to an abrupt stop, and Lucy realized that they were standing by one of the few canons that hadn't been destroyed yet. Cana lit the weapon and there was another bang and a flash of smoke.

Lucy's eyes trailed the canonball's path up into the sky, and it seemed as if her keys were tingling, itching for a battle at her side at the sight.

A goat-like humanoid, with darkly tinted shades and attire that did little to conceal the lean, hard muscle underneath hovered above the ship, hands outstretched.

"Capricorn," Lucy whispered hoarsely.

Floating in midair with a statuesque presence, Capricorn was issuing commands, hands lighting at random intervals. Lucy jerked her head and surveyed the deck; the blonde spotted several people who were out of place among the fighting crew. Toward the bow of the ship, close to the bowsprit, was Natsu, fighting off multiple enemies at once with his fists ablaze.

Next to her, Cana gave another shout and lit another canon; Capricorn didn't bat an eye. His hand gave a small, unnoticeable twitch. A strange, fluxing light suddenly overtook the cannonball, and its path was averted to the side of Capricorn, splashing harmlessly into the waters.

"Lucy," Cana rasped, "_Sinbad_. Go. At this rate, he'll set our ship on fire."

Lucy acquiesced, pulling out one of the keys from the shared ring with a determined nod, glancing at the key before opening her mouth.

"Open! Gate of the Lion!"

A flash of light, and Loki was there by Lucy's side, jaw taut.

They didn't speak a word; no commands, just mutual understanding- Loki had explained Capricorn's magic to her outside of the book, during the S-Class trials. Lucy knew that the spirit's magic was nothing to laugh at. Loki easily overtook any enemies that tried to block her way with Regulus as she raced towards the captain of the ship, painfully aware of the absence of her whip.

Capricorn's subordinates were swarming Natsu- one, a muscular hunter; another, an oriental warrior. Sinbad's pirates were likewise being cornered as more and more unfamiliar humans flocked onto the ship as Capricorn spat out commands.

Lucy wasn't nearly as strong as her guild mates, but her physical aptitude wasn't necessarily shabby, either. She gave a great leap just as the oriental warrior's spear launched. With a sharp movement, she kicked the spear aside and landed lithely behind Natsu, who laughed appreciatively.

"You finally woke up!" Natsu cackled as he blasted another enemy, "You're late, but thanks for getting my back anyway. I guess it should be too 'dangerous' for a frilly Princess, but-"

"-you know we're partners," Lucy finished, settling into a comfortable fighting position. Thoughts from the previous night flooded into her at their proximity- but wait, _no_, it wasn't the time to be thinking about that. 'Team' wasn't necessarily a romantic term…

"Lucy, pay attention!" Cana's voice broke into her thoughts. Lucy barely evaded an attack from what appeared to be a Mongolian warrior. As she ducked down, Natsu's fist shot above her head, already alight, and landed square on the enemy's chest, knocking him clear off the deck.

"Sorry, Natsu," she murmured before the irascible dragonslayer could say anything, and gave a start when a hand took hers. Lucy turned to see Cana's eyes boring into hers.

"Here," Cana said breathlessly, holding up a card and summoning a whip. "I was told you would need this." The weapon was pressed into Lucy's palm, and the weight was comforting. Lucy gripped it and sent a grateful smile at the brunette, who grinned back and turned to rejoin the fray.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Loki wink at her. She laughed and recalled him, and he vanished, easily unnoticed amongst the chaos. Her keys glowed at her side, and she made a mental note to thank him later.

With her whip in hand, it was much easier to fend off attacks. The only problem was the ship, constantly tottering as more and more of Capricorn's subordinates piled onto the top deck, destroying the sails and shrouds.

Natsu's breath was becoming a little ragged, as was hers. Her head pounded as the heat of Natsu's flames steadily increased.

"Don't set the ship on fire," Lucy gasped out laboriously, snapping her whip. Natsu merely laughed as he turned to aid her, kicking aside another opponent.

Suddenly, his onyx eyes widened, and his teeth clacked together as he prepared to launch upwards. Lucy, blinked, confused, and whirled around, sweat beading on her temple as she drew back her whip. An enemy-

She wasn't fast enough.

In the sudden rush of movement, all she was able to see was coarse alabaster hair before a muscular limb scooped her from the deck, her breath hitching as her keys jangled. "LUCY!" Natsu's hand stretched out towards hers, and their fingers brushed before Lucy was yanked upwards, the arm tightening uncomfortably around her waist.

Below her, Natsu roared his fury, knocking down anyone in his path towards the center of the main deck, his entire body starting to ignite as Capricorn rose steadily into the air. Erza slid to a stop in front of Natsu, large dual swords brandished as she tried to calm him down, but to no effect. Lucy craned her neck to get a good look at her captor.

"Capricorn," Lucy hissed painfully. "Why are you- why are you doing this?"

The urbane goat spirit said nothing, only giving her a patiently exasperated look. Without any warning, without any shift in position, he suddenly punched her- her neck snapped back painfully. The blonde cautiously brought her head back, biting back any comments that could pique the spirit's anger. He held her tightly, and with immense force; her fingers clenched and unclenched, trying to grasp at one of her stellar spirit keys, but the most she could do was lightly brush at the metallic top.

"Lucy! LUCY!" The entire crew clamored under her and Capricorn, and Lucy couldn't help but wonder why it was exactly that they were reverting to her name rather than calling her by her title. Even more surprising was that even from up in the air, she could see that their features were creased with worry.

And Natsu… every single fiber of his being was incensed. His eyes never left hers for a second, even as Capricorn tightened his hold once more and slapped her.

Lucy choked on tears- Capricorn's strength was much more than she was used to taking, and the blow stung. A shocked hush momentarily fell over the entire crew before the fighting resumed, much more violent and enraged than ever.

"ENOUGH," Capricorn bellowed, and the human subordinates seemed to give off an irradiant light before fading away. Her friends halted, surprised at the sudden retreat; underneath the ship, the waves churned ominously.

Above the rest of the crew members' voices was Natsu. "GIVE LUCY BACK, YOU BASTARD!"

Capricorn huffed bemusedly and suddenly released Lucy- shock and panic overwhelmed the blonde in a rush for a split second before he grabbed her left arm. Pain quickly replaced fear when there was a painful yank and a loud _crack_ as the limb clenched in his rough hand broke under the pressure. Lucy choked on a scream, blinking back hot tears.

"LUCY!" There came Natsu's voice again, enraged and frantic. She would have smiled under any other circumstance.

"Silence, humans," Capricorn spoke monotonously, his voice booming out into the air. "You will heed my warning: The Princess is mine, and you will not pursue the Twelve Treasures any longer. Any sign of defiance will be reflected upon her." The goat spirit yanked on her broken arm for emphasis.

It was so… so _unfair_. Lucy's breath came in harsh gasps and pants. She had been _useless_ in the previous chapters. She was tired of it! She was Lucy of Fairy Tail, and there was no way that she was going to sit back and be some damsel in distress when the rest of her friends were worrying, alternate universe or not!

Back on the ship, the crew was alternating between murmured discussion and confused shouts, and it struck her that they hadn't seen any of the spirits before. It had always been her and Natsu seeking the 'treasures', going on all sorts of queer adventures and finding the keys…

Her eyes opened blurrily, and the blonde spotted Natsu, his expression livid- he was _concerned_ for her. How very like Natsu.

And just like that, it hit her: Wendy might have been right after all. It was still unclear, but yes, Lucy _liked_ him- whether it was as strong as 'love' remained to be seen- but the feelings were there, and more than that, it was just as much of a part of her character as her magic and will to fight. _There was no way she could give up here. _

Her mind hazy with pain, Lucy forced the arm that was still mobile to pat at her side- the keys were burning, as if her spirits were enraged at the pain that had been inflicted on their master. Her fingers clenched around one, and she recognized which key from just that contact. It was familiar to the touch.

"Open! The gate of the Bull!"

Capricorn gave a jolt of surprise and released her, even as Taurus passed through the gate and sent Capricorn crashing into the water with a well-placed blow from his axe. Lucy plummeted down towards the ship at a frightening speed.

It wasn't frightening, for some odd reason. Her body was resigned, exhausted and slipping into unconsciousness, but within her chest, anticipation coiled. _Natsu_-

The breath was knocked out of her, but the immense pain that she had been anticipating never came. Rather, Natsu's familiar heat told her of his arms, pushing forward to wrap around her, and they slammed forward and into a cabin, crashing a hole in the ship. Her ribs ached at the contact, and there was a painful jolt that stunned her for a moment, but she was _alive_.

He had leapt to catch her _again_.

In her mind's eye, the blonde could see his face; the way he had looked at her so confidently in the Rapunzel chapter, and told her to trust him. It'd been so _silly_ to doubt him, even in a different chapter. Lucy laughed; Natsu, bewildered, looked at her as if she was crazy.

The entire crew rushed to surround them; not a single one of them complained about the damage done to the ship. Rather, each and every face was streaked with worry and relief. Even the hostile Mirajane and jocular Cana were peering at the two, smiles etched onto their faces.

"Lucy, are you okay-?"

"-that was reckless-"

"-nice catch, Sinbad-!"

"Lucy, you _idiot_," Natsu sat up, still holding her close, careful not to jostle her broken arm. "What the hell was that up there? If he'd noticed, he'd probably have killed you! You're so _stupid!_"

Lucy burst out laughing again. She couldn't even bring herself to be embarrassed at the contact.

Was it possible that she _loved_ Natsu?

The idea was a lot easier to digest now, staring up at his face, full of sharp, familiar angles and curves. She'd been foolish to over-think it earlier. His features, holding a sort of roguish charm, beamed back down at her, impetuous in his smile. She sat up, wincing a little when pain shot through her arm, and just giggled. "It's ironic, coming from you."

Natsu looked at her once, and the two immediately dissolved into their typical bickering. The crew was bustling around them eagerly as Lucy recalled Taurus. True to their natures, Cana began to generously pass around beers in an attempt to get people drunk while Erza issued commands to the people around her to clean up the mess that had been made.

The welcome whimsicality of the atmosphere vanished when Capricorn shot from the sea with a loud _splash_, seething.

Natsu twitched and his eyes narrowed as he made to stand up. Lucy grabbed him with her arms to stop him from doing something inane or reckless, flinching when her left arm twitched violently from the movement. It was this motion that made Natsu hesitate- he looked back down at her, worry reflected in his eyes.

Capricorn's voice echoed in the vast space of the sea, reaching their ears threateningly. "If you do not cease your search, you will pay dire consequences upon setting foot on the next island-"

"Did you hear that?" Mirajane interrupted, snickering loudly. "He said '_dire consequences'_. No modern day villain ever says that anymore, ever! That fart _has_ to be at least a million years old-"

"_Fools_," Capricorn spat out, rising above the surface of the water to glare at Sinbad's crew, even as Mirajane was enveloped in a demonic hue (she was still snorting that Capricorn had called them '_fools_', and who _did _that nowadays?), and Erza whipped out her broadswords. Lucy watched in surprise as Cana drew her cards and even Gray and Juvia shifted into threatening stances.

These people who had mocked her were willing to _protect_ her.

Capricorn seemed to consider the crew, who, one by one, were standing up and preparing to attack. "He's out of magic," Lucy realized with a rush as he widened the distance between himself and the ship. "He's… retreating?"

Lisanna let out a loud whoop as the goat spirit's figure dwindled slowly into the horizon until his entire presence diminished to nothing. Cana was the second one to break the silence, grabbing Gray and Juvia and calling out for beers yet again. Erza looked at her, an odd expression on her face, and began digging through the ship's supplies for some cake.

"You know, Princess," Macao said, sauntering over with a wink, pushing through the crowd to approach Lucy. "We'd be glad to have you join our crew."

A few feet away, Mirajane began to protest hotly, but was silenced by Lisanna, Erza, and Wendy, who looked between Lucy and Natsu with hungry eyes (Lucy suddenly felt very, _very_ flushed and uncomfortable).

The atmosphere was so like Fairy Tail that Lucy couldn't help but feel right at home. She couldn't ignore the smile that was stretching her cheeks so much that it _hurt_ but she couldn't stop, because if she and Natsu were to be stuck in this chapter, at the very least she was able to have _friends_.

Lucy was so lost in her thoughts that she overlooked that Natsu had remained silent the whole time.

The spirit mage didn't realize that she was still seated in Natsu's lap until he stood up abruptly, jaw taut. Lucy toppled onto the deck rather ungracefully with a thud, surprised at the sudden movement, and even more so when she saw that Natsu looked absolutely furious.

"_No fucking way is she joining our crew_," Natsu grit out through gnashing teeth, acerbity in his voice. "I'll never allow it."

The entire ship fell silent at the sudden change of atmosphere, and the tension only grew as Natsu stalked over to Erza, his entire figure ramrod straight and tight. He refused to glance in Lucy's direction.

"Erza," the dragonslayer rasped. "Take us back."

The scarlet-haired woman had to take a moment to find her voice again, and when she did, the surprise was enough that she stuttered. "B-Back? Where are you talking about, Sinbad?"

"_Back_," Natsu said with a jerky nod. "To the Princess's kingdom."

"We're giving up the treasure hunt?" Lucy blinked. What had gotten into Natsu so suddenly? Driving off Capricorn was a _good_ thing, wasn't it? And why so serious?

"No," the pink-haired mage shook his head, turning to look at her with an unnaturally wintry gaze. "_You're_ giving up the treasure hunt. You're going back."

He turned and walked away stiffly. Lucy stared after him in shock, still sprawled uncomfortably on the floor.

* * *

><p>The islands were arranged loosely in a scattered pattern; it was just as well that they had gone in a circle. Eight out of twelve islands had been visited, and because of their route, it was only a short way to return back to the kingdom Lucy had apparently been kidnapped from. At most, the journey would only take a few days, which was remarkably short, and with help from some of the specialized magic users on board, the journey would no doubt be faster than estimated.<p>

Not like the thought comforted her. _At all_.

Just minutes after Capricorn's sudden attack and just-as-sudden departure, Natsu had stormed to the captain's quarters and refused to come out for hours. Only Wendy was allowed, and only once; she had given him the herbal medicine and slipped out again, and she refused to say a word about his condition. He even skipped meals.

And Natsu _never_ skipped meals. EVER.

Lucy had spent those confused hours staring towards the back of the ship, unable to think coherently. Natsu's reaction to their victory made no sense. She remained in a dazed silence even as Wendy tended to her arm, placing it in a loose sling and feeding her various herbs.

Cana was using her cards to blow strong winds in the needed direction while Juvia with her powerful water magic was able to guide the ship easily. Lucy found it hard to walk on the deck at the speed the vessel was going, but she pushed her way towards the back of the ship. With some effort, she managed to grab hold of the door of the captain's cabin with her good arm and give it a yank.

It didn't budge.

Pressing her back against the ligneous planks, Lucy slid down to sit against the outer wall of the cabin. "Natsu?"

The only response she received was a stubborn, muffled "Mmmf."

"Natsu, let me in. If you don't tell me what's going on then we'll never get out of the chapter. Do you want that?"

A moment of silence; the door clicked and opened.

Lucy peered in curiously- it was the first time she'd bothered to look in the captain's quarters- and saw with mild disdain that the small room was just as cluttered with various junk and scraps of food as Natsu's home back on Earthland.

Natsu sat on the small mattress, eyes boring into hers with an unreadable expression. The sheets had been incinerated; all that remained was a pile of ashes.

Wendy's words from the day before rang in her ears: _Be patient with him…_

Lucy honestly preferred the previous chapters to this one; seeing Natsu so estranged was disconcerting. Drama simply wasn't his thing. She knew it, and he knew it, so why was he alienating himself? Still, at the very least, she knew how to fix it.

Closing the space between them, Lucy took a couple of long strides and slapped him across the face. _Hard_.

Natsu blinked several times, opened his mouth and closed it as if to shout at her or allow his temper to take advantage of him and hit her back, but they both knew he wouldn't.

"Natsu, I know that talking isn't always your thing, but _talk to me_. We're in this together, and- and I'm your best friend, aren't I?" The words were coming out in a rush now. She was choking on them. "A-and why the drama? There's nothing to-"

"Yes there is," Natsu interrupted, standing up suddenly, his chest bumping against hers. Why did he have to be so much _taller_ than her? He easily towered over her, his gaze frightening as he turned on his heel and strode out the door.

Lucy followed Natsu as he approached Erza, who was at the steering wheel, just as he had commanded. Erza turned in surprise, even as Natsu stalked past her and jerkily raised a finger to point at the horizon. Lucy squinted in the direction.

"Land, so _fast_?" She gasped. "How-?"

"It's probably part of the story," Natsu grumbled listlessly. He turned once more and shoved Erza aside, who for once took the rash gesture in bewildered silence. It was even more confusing was when he moved across the main deck and hopped down the side of the ship, grabbing hold of the railing and dangling freely under it.

"Natsu, what are you _doing_? That's dangerous!"

"_Pfft_," Natsu snorted. "Dangerous, my ass." Raising a hand, he sucked in a deep breath, and to Lucy's amazement (but really, she should have expected it), released a gigantic jet of flame that threatened to conflagrate the ship. He hissed nearly imperceptibly, exerting just a _little_ more force. The ship's speed increased tenfold.

"Natsu!" Lucy leaned over the rail to shout at him. "What are you doing? Why can't you just stop and _explain_ things to me?"

"Since when have I ever explained anything to you?" Natsu hollered back up at her.

"Now would be a good time to start!" She struggled to raise her voice over the din of the flames.

"No, it wouldn't!"

"Would too!"

"Not!"

"Bullshit!"

Silence.

This was absolutely ridiculous. How in the world could Natsu be so infuriatingly _serious_ one second, and frustratingly _Natsu_ the next? How the hell could he make her want to smile when she had been on the verge of tears just moments ago, anyway?

Here she was, pissed off like nothing else, leaning over the side of a gigantic ship to have a childish argument with her idiotic best friend who was propelling the ship forward with his magical fire after they had encountered a flying goat.

Put that way, everything that had happened up until this point seemed very silly.

"Oh, for crying out loud," Lucy groaned, burying her face in her hands.

"You're not crying, though," Natsu said in a strangled voice, and then added, "Yet, anyway!"

"I know that! Now _stop_ whatever you're doing! Are you trying to get rid of me or something?"

The flames died down the moment the last word left her mouth. Natsu looked up at her, shocked, and she almost regretted saying the words at all. He seemed hurt that she had even suggested it.

"Well, shit, if that's what you think, then…" Natsu groaned out, exasperated (as if he had any right to be exasperated when he had been the one to be so unclear with her!). "Fine."

In one easy swing, he flung himself over the edge of the railing, and fixing her with an intense stare that had Lucy squirming, he blurted, "It's not safe."

She blinked once, then twice. "Excuse me? I've thrown myself off a tower, been through countless battles with the rest of you, and I have the guts to stay with _you-_ and you're a fire-breathing freak-" Her voice rose steadily with each word.

"_Damn it!_" He bellowed, fists clenching. "Don't be fucking stupid! I'd _never_ hurt you on purpose, you idiot-"

"How am _I_ stupid? You're the one-"

"It's because it's _my_ fault!" Natsu roared, coming towards her in a rush, hand raised. Lucy flinched; he halted immediately. The two stared at each other, breathing heavily.

"What's your fault?" She asked quietly, refusing to take a step back.

"You got hurt. You were right there, right there under my _fucking nose_ and I let that stupid goat bastard take you! You were so close I could have _grabbed_ you!" He ran a hand through his tousled hair, and eyed the railing as if he wanted to bang his head against it in frustration (Lucy could tell- she knew the feeling well).

She felt her hackles rise at that. "I'm _not_ some damsel in distress! I can take care of myself and you know it!"

"Look where that got you," Natsu hissed, gesturing at her broken arm. "That could have been prevented if I had been faster. This is different, Lucy! If you die, I don't think we can get out of the book!"

They were turning a few heads at the context of their words, but neither of them really cared.

"So it's about getting out of here, and not my well-being or anything?"

"Of course it's about your safety, Lucy, you weirdo-"

"We've been in millions of life or death situations before! What's so different about this one? We faced off against Brain and came out alive, we faced Oracion Seis and Grimoire Hearts-"

"It's _different_, damn it!"

They were stepping closer to each other with each retort as the tension heightened. Their faces were red from fury- well, perhaps it was from the wind that buffeted and whipped at their skin- but either way, they were clearly incensed.

"_How_," she grit out, "is it different? Natsu, thank you for saving me, but it's not your fault that I got hurt! We've all broken limbs before!" The blonde poked his chest with a finger, jabbing him with each word: "It's. Not. Your. Fault!"

"It's different because… Argh!" Natsu threw his hands up in the air. "I don't _know_! Something changed! _You_'_ve_ changed, damn it. You're being all weird and messing with the fucking way I think-"

"Excuse me," Wendy's calm voice interrupted her captain mid-sentence. Said captain and the blonde he was arguing turned their attention to her, mouths open to say something, but the woman cut them off with a sharp shake of her head. "We've arrived, Captain."

Lucy looked up and saw that indeed, they were approaching the berth. She turned her head in Natsu's direction to hiss, "We'll finish this later," but he had already walked towards the center of the top deck, issuing commands to his crew as if it were as natural as breathing.

Lucy let out a huff and slumped to sit on the deck, suddenly exhausted. Wendy smiled benevolently and sat next to her, feet sprawled out in front of her.

"Can you tell the difference?" The long-haired healer asked gently.

"What are you talking about?" Lucy grumbled, bringing her feet closer to hug them to her body.

"He's starting to realize it, even if he doesn't understand it," Wendy pressed blithely despite Lucy's sour tone. "That he cares for you in a different way than he did before."

Lucy pursed her lips. '_Something's changed! About you…'_ Natsu had said that, but he hadn't been clear at all about _what_ had changed. "I doubt it, Wendy." All she knew was that Natsu had been uncharacteristically serious about the whole thing. She'd never seen him so worked up before, and he'd only shouted at her like that once or twice, and never at that level of rage.

Wendy only shrugged and stood up again, smiling that little mysterious smile of hers as they neared the docks. "You know, Lucy," she said, "You do realize that Sinbad is taking a risk, right?"

Adjusting her broken arm in her sling and looking up, squinting at the rays of the sun beat down on her, Lucy only frowned. "What do you mean?"

"We're pirates," Wendy said slowly, her wide eyes glinting curiously. "And we kidnapped you. It's obviously the middle of the day right here, and we're out in the open. Don't you think that what we're doing right now is a little rash?"

The older woman waited for it to dawn on the blonde; when it did, it hit Lucy hard and fast. "You could be killed," she rasped. "Maybe even worse. What is that moron thinking-?"

"He's thinking of your wellbeing, obviously," the healer shook her head. "I'm telling you, that kind of concern is more than just-"

But Lucy had already shot up and towards the pink-haired Captain in the crow's nest. Wendy shook her head again, her lips curving upwards.

* * *

><p>"Natsu! <em>Natsu!<em>"

Lisanna turned to raise a questioning eyebrow at Natsu, but Natsu's only response was a clenched jaw.

"Natsu damn it, stop being such a drama queen-"

_That_ got him. "I am _not_ a drama queen!" Natsu leaned over the side of the crow's nest to scowl at his blonde friend. "I'm a _guy_."

Lisanna snickered behind him- he turned to glare angrily at her, but she only looked away and whistled innocently. Psh. _Women._

"_Whatever_!" Lucy scoffed. "I can't climb up the shrouds, so could you _please_ come down here?"

"No," Natsu shook his head sharply, sticking out his tongue childishly. "Make me."

"Natsu- _urgh_, fine! But it's really embarrassing to say it like this…"

"Too bad."

She fell silent, and for so long that he took a peek to check that she was still standing there, under the mast. It was mildly surprising to see that she was fiddling and looking down at her slung arm. Lisanna was giggling behind him again, and it was _irritating,_ damn it! What was she laughing at, anyways?

"Natsu," Lucy began heavily, "I'm sorry."

He felt his eyes widen in surprise. She was… apologizing? He turned to look down at her again, and their eyes met. His mouth opened.

And then: "Well, I don't accept."

Lucy's jaw dropped, her brow twitching. "What the hell? I apologize for shouting at you and you _refuse_ it?"

"What part of 'I don't accept' don't you get?" He made a face. "You're not supposed to be apologizing. You didn't do anything."

She blew a raspberry at him. "Then _you_ apologize!"

Natsu cringed at the thought. Goats that flew around shooting lasers? Sure. Eight different magical spirits that could fight and/or talk him to death? No problem.

But _apologizing?_ Urk.

"Look, I'm not going to apologize because… because I can't." In any case, the words he had said, about something having changed about her... he didn't even know what he meant by that. Was _he_ changing because of her? Damn it, he didn't want to _think_ about this! The words had just flown out of his mouth in the heat of the moment, like all those battle tactics in the middle of a fight always did, or-

"What kind of excuse is that?"

Natsu glanced aside- they were a little less than a mile from the port. Nothing worrisome, and plenty of time. "Okay, fine, _fine_." He hopped over the edge of the crow's nest and slid down the shrouds, feeling like a little kid who was being coerced to do some random shit by his mom. Above him, Lisanna gave him a reassuring wink. He groaned.

He landed easily next to Lucy, who was half-glaring, half-pouting at him. Well, two could play at that! He scrunched up his features into the most displeased face he could make.

The only thing he achieved was Lucy's lips twitching upwards, trying hard not to laugh. Okay, well, _fine_. Screw it.

"I'm waiting," Lucy encouraged. He shot her a glare.

"I'm _sorry_," he spat out, staring at his feet. They were really quite interesting.

"For…?"

"For…" It took a moment to search for the words, but when he found them, they burst out in an uncontrollable flood. "For being too slow! I'm sorry I wasn't fast enough to stop him from taking you from me, I'm sorry I couldn't prevent him from breaking your arm because I bet it hurts like a bitch! I'm sorry that I'm worried over your broken arm _way_ more than I should be! I'm sorry that everything seems so fucking confusing!"

He inhaled deeply, trying to ignore the incredulous, shocked stare that Lucy was giving him. Where in the world had _that_ come from? It wasn't… _false_, really. Whenever it came to Lucy, his thoughts were always in a jumble- _no._ She was his friend, and only that. That was how it had always been.

Either the damned book was messing with his head, or Lucy was. Or maybe he _was_ changing, and something had become severely screwed up. Either way, it wasn't a feeling he was used to.

Lucy held the awkward silence much longer than necessary, and it made even him feel uncomfortable. When she finally opened her mouth to speak, it wasn't words that resulted.

Instead, the two were suddenly bathed in a warm, golden hue.

"W-we're moving on to the next chapter?" Lucy blinked, startled. "Wait, _why_? What happened?"

"Why are you asking stupid questions?" Natsu retorted, feeling oddly irritated- damn it, he had wanted an _answer_. "It's not like I know the answers."

Instead of countering, Lucy suddenly smiled, and to his great astonishment, all traces of anger vanished.

"I'm sorry for getting mad," she gently chastised, "but you have to remember I can take care of myself."

"…yeah." His face was uncomfortably heated, and _whatthehellwasheblushing_? He was Natsu, and he did _not_ blush, damn it. He stubbornly tried to convince himself that the heat spreading across his face was just as a result from the sun.

The entire crew stared in shock as the two shined even brighter until they vanished altogether. It took a moment for the fact that their captain _and_ the hostage Princess had suddenly disappeared to sink in.

There was a moment of awkward tittering.

Then, "Quick! Turn the ship around before we get caught!"

* * *

><p>In the Spirit World, Loki was busy trying to pummel Capricorn into the ground- er, sky.<p>

"You _broke_ her arm!" Leo snarled. "You said you wouldn't hurt her! You _swore_ you wouldn't!"

"I had no choice!" Capricorn dodged the attacks effortlessly, much to the amusement of the other spirits who were watching the scene (Aquarius called for popcorn as Gemini giggled. Aries was fretting over her friends' safety). "Nothing else would serve as a proper catalyst for the boy! He is as dense as the night is long! They would have been stuck in the chapter for _eons_ had I not harmed her, and believe me, I regret doing so!"

Loki took a moment to consider (because Natsu _was_ pretty slow), and forced himself to relax. Still, the idea of socking Capricorn's face was _tempting_…"You guys never told me… what was the plot of the chapter, anyway?"

"Oh, nothing important," Aquarius waved a hand, just happy to be able to relax in the Spirit World with Scorpio. "Just some crap about morals and recognizing the beginnings of 'true love'. I had to ask for Capricorn to help; those two are so _slow_ when it comes to stuff like that."

Meanwhile, in the next chapter, Natsu and Lucy simultaneously sneezed.

* * *

><p>AN: _**Please leave feedback before leaving!**_

Anything about this chapter you'd like to point out, whether positive or negative, is welcome. I have to know what to keep with my style and what to change, after all. To those of you who continue to review, thank you for your continued support! And double thanks to songstar13, who painstakingly edited this for me.

The next chapter will be a little more light-hearted. Oh, the possibilities of that fairy tale...


	8. Chapter Six: The Princess and the Pea

A/N: Hello. I am alive. I'm sorry for the long-ish wait, but I honestly have no good excuse, because I've been nerding on this one MMORPG lately, and gah, I know. I'm pathetic. Anyway. Enjoy this chapter!

* * *

><p>Lucy sneezed as they were pulled into the next chapter. Immediately, there was a dizzying rush followed by a painful sensation, as if she were being stretched and pulled by multiple forces, all threatening to destroy her.<p>

She felt her mouth open and she gasped for air, only to find herself floundering in the nothingness. Her heart accelerated at the shock, pain lacing her body as she began to suffocate. The only things she could feel were the rather familiar heat of flames and a rush of an extremely powerful magic. Just as suddenly as the pain had come, it disappeared. Her eyes opened, and a drop of rain hit her nose.

Lucy blinked.

And after that drop came another, and another, and yet another; the drizzle quickly became a fierce downpour that drenched Lucy's clothes (which she noted was a rather tasteful dress, simple yet somehow elegant- still, a cloak would _really_ have been handy) in a matter of seconds.

In front of her was a grand, towering castle, and it looked remarkable more comfortable inside than outside in the pouring rain. The windows were glowing a warm orange, undoubtedly from some kind of warm fire that _she_ wasn't around. She sneezed again (god, if she caught a _cold_ in this weather, that'd just suck) and glanced around. Natsu was nowhere to be found. With a sigh and being none the wiser on what fairy tale she had landed in, Lucy stepped towards the castle in hopes that she they could spare a room…

A maid opened a small side door, pouring dirty water from a bucket outside, and Lucy took this opportunity to approach. The maid glanced up warily, but quickly relaxed when she saw that Lucy was just a tired girl who was a little worse for the wear. With a start, Lucy realized that the woman looked quite like Bisca.

"May I come in? I need somewhere to stay…" Lucy trailed off. Would the family that owned the castle be mad if they found out she was there? In all the stories that she read, it was always a secretive wanderer in a castle that couldn't afford being found out, and for all she knew, she could be risking something _huge_ right now…

Clearly, Bisca didn't seem too apprehensive about the situation. "Oh, honey," she clucked. "You're lookin' mighty terrible! Come in, come in!" She stepped aside and ushered Lucy towards the door. Her voice was soothing, a relaxed drawl that comforted Lucy. With a grateful smile, Lucy thanked Bisca and stepped into the castle. Immediately, she was enveloped by the heat of the candles and the warm scent of bread. She inhaled deeply, making Bisca grin widely in response.

"It's not much," Bisca chuckled, tucking her green hair behind her ear, "but I'm one of the cooks of this here place. The rest are all sleepin', though, the lazy bunch." She waved about, setting the bucket on the floor and wiping her hands on her apron. "Feel free to dry yourself up by that there fire, now, ya hear?"

"Thanks," Lucy gave a relieved sigh, crouching down by the hearth. The kitchen was sizable, and Bisca freely waltzed from counter to counter, wiping the counters and chopping vegetables to put into a large pot.

Seeing as how Natsu was nowhere to be found, Lucy pushed on by herself, asking,"So, who are the owners of this castle?"

Bisca nearly dropped a dish in surprise, and quickly scrambled to catch it before sending Lucy an irritated look, as if _she _had dropped it herself. Lucy shrugged sheepishly.

"You don't know? _Everyone_ knows 'round these parts." She carefully set the dish down.

"Who?" Lucy pressed.

"Why, the mighty Dragonil family." Bisca grabbed a wooden spoon and began stirring the soup, pausing to taste it.

Lucy stared in disbelief, her jaw going slack. _Wait, did _dragons_ own this castle? Was that even possible? _Or were they human? What kind of fairy tale was this, anyway?

A sudden knock resounded against the wooden door. "Come in," Bisca called, her attention turned to the stew that hung, hooked over the fire where Lucy crouched, wide-eyed (she was still staring in shock from the revelation that _ohmygod, real dragons might just own this castle, whatdoIdo?_).

The door opened, and Alzack peeked in. Lucy noted his armor- _he must be a guard-_ and his flushed face. "I-I was just checkin' to see that you're still doin' fine," he tripped over his words before giving Bisca a shy smile and shutting the door again with a remarkable speed.

Bemused, Lucy realized that Bisca had dropped her spoon into the pot and was staring at the door, her face red and just as bewildered as Lucy's had been.

* * *

><p>There was a terrifying pressure, odd and disorienting…<p>

Just as quickly as the pain had come, it disappeared, and the weightlessness vanished, leaving him on what seemed to be a _really _comfy mattress and with an itchy nose. He let out a sneeze, and a large jet of fire shot from his mouth, easily setting most of the room on fire. The size of the blast and the heat were almost- _almost- _odd to him, after having survived a certain few fairy tales without his magic at full power.

He blinked in surprise, and a wide grin stretched over his face. Throwing the covers aside (and not caring that they were aflame), Natsu shot out of his bed, leapt onto his feet, and crowed, "Today is a freakin' amazing day!"

"Indeed it is, son!" A loud voice boomed, and Natsu's entire body locked up at the sound.

A sudden wave of uncertainty nearly crushed Natsu's chest, and the feeling was so new and unfamiliar that he faltered, and for once, he was at a loss for words. The voice was loud and confident and familiar, _but it couldn't be…_

…and it wasn't- not exactly. A tall, pink-haired man stepped into the room, muscular, shirtless, and with a lopsided crown adorning his head, ready to slip off. Several scars covered his body, including one on his neck, and Natsu felt his own hand instinctively jolt up to his own neck, feeling the matching, ragged scar. His eyes shot up to meet the man's, and just like his, they were an enigmatic onyx.

Natsu stared at the man. It _was_ Igneel!

Igneel gave his son a queer look. "Wutcha doing staring at me like some kind of moron, kid? Today's the big day!" As if it were nothing, Igneel inhaled deeply, and all of the flames in the room seemed to flicker once and go out. Natsu continued to stare at Igneel, who glanced at Natsu once and then burped, patting his stomach. "As usual, your flames are decent. Could use a little work, though."

The shock of the moment was quickly replaced with a warmth that coursed through Natsu's body. A grin stretched across his face, and with a wild whoop, Natsu launched himself at his father for a tackle-hug.

Igneel calmly sidestepped the assault and smirked fondly down at Natsu, who crashed straight into the wall. "Don't try to suck up to me, son. You're not getting out of today's event whether you like it or not. And when we're done, you're going to start your training with fifty laps around the castle."

"Fifty laps?" Natsu snorted, sitting up with the silly grin still plastered on his face, rubbing his stinging cheeks. Dimly, he registered the words '_today's event_' as out of place, but quickly brushed it aside in favor of snorting at his father- because clearly, that was _much _more important. Igneel was _here_! No matter that he wasn't a dragon- Igneel was Igneel, no matter what shape or size, and he was _awesome_. "Fifty laps is child's play!"

"That's good," Igneel rumbled humorously. "You're still a child, after all. Stupid brat."

Igneel laughed as Natsu scowled, turning to leave through the scorched door. "Oh, and by the way, kid…" He glanced at Natsu, scrunching up his nose in amused distaste. "Put on some pants before you come down for breakfast. Your sister and mother are waiting, you disrespectful squirt."

The door shut; Natsu looked down and groaned. "Oh, _great, _Gray's contagious."

Natsu paused, his hands clutching the scrunched-up hem of his pants, halfway in the act of tugging them on. Igneel, in this chapter… He hadn't seen him _forever_. Could he leave, when the time came to? Did he _want_ to leave?

His brow furrowed; this Igneel wasn't… wasn't _the_ Igneel. No matter how much they seemed alike, this Igneel was a fake, after all, wasn't he? And Lucy; surely she'd felt the same thing, with her mother… right?

* * *

><p>Lucy awoke to the sound of bustling chatter, followed by an onrush of clinks and clanks. She moaned groggily, sitting up. A cloth fell from her person as a group of people rushed into the kitchen; the blonde blinked and reached out towards it, but a foot beat her to it.<p>

"Oh! Sorry!" Juvia's voice rang down. Lucy yawned and looked up to see Juvia, who was biting her lip apologetically and holding the blanket towards her. "Juvia did not mean to do such a thing!"

"It's fine," Lucy chuckled, taking the blanket from the flustered girl, who was clutching the hem of her maid outfit as if her life depended on it. "Really…" She inspected the cloth with amusement. Had she really fallen asleep? All she could remember that last night was being wet and the shock of being in the Dragneel's castle… "Oh, this must be Bisca's. That was nice of her…"

Juvia bit her lip, leaning towards Lucy, who leaned back against the stone of the hearth uncomfortably. The blue-haired maid's gaze was intent and searching, tracing every detail of Lucy's until the blonde thought that she was trying to memorize it.

"Juvia does not think she has seen you before," she said at last.

"Um, that's… because…" Lucy shifted awkwardly. _Shoot_! What was she supposed to say in this kind of situation? Even worse, could she risk getting Bisca in trouble?

Instantly, Juvia's demeanor shifted. "You must be here for the huge event today! Oohhh, Juvia is _so_ excited!"

Lucy opened her mouth to ask what event Juvia was talking about, but Erza suddenly stepped into the kitchen, and the group of cooks that had been chattering and laughing immediately fell silent.

"E-Erza!" Juvia squeaked, shooting to her feet. The scarlet-haired woman regarded Juvia coolly.

"Get to work. We have a busy day today." She gave a jerky nod; Juvia leapt to her feet and sprinted towards some distant corner of the kitchen, and the rest of the kitchen staff followed suit. Erza nodded her approval, oblivious to the overpowering aura she was exuding. "Now, we'll start with the hams. You," she pointed to someone without even glancing at them, "take care of the salad. I'll be in charge of the cake."

"How many cakes do we have to bake, ma'am?" A small voice warbled from the crowd.

Erza briefly contemplated the question. "I suppose twenty-five strawberry cakes and one vanilla cake will do. Though the vanilla one must be topped with strawberries."

Lucy shrank back against the wall.

The awkward silence was quickly broken when the door slammed open, and Bisca jogged in, jamming a white chef's hat on her green mane. Erza whipped around to glare dangerously at Bisca, who chuckled nervously and closed the door as quietly as she could before scooting to hide behind Lucy. The said blonde was preoccupied with trying to curl up and appear as small as possible.

Erza's attention turned to Lucy; the blonde flinched under the woman's scrutiny. Bisca continued her awkward laughter, side-stepping ever-so-subtly to hide Lucy.

"Bisca…" Erza began slowly, "Would you care to explain who this is?"

Bisca gulped audibly. "Well, uh… you see, ma'am, this here is…" She glanced at Lucy and blurted, "She's here for today's special choosing, ma'am!"

"Yes, I am," Lucy spoke up with a confident tone she hadn't known she could muster. Bisca looked at her in surprise before her stunned expression morphed into an amused one at the 'coincidence'.

Erza appraised Lucy for a moment. Lucy beamed and tried her best to look dignified and _whatever-the-hell-she-was-supposed-to-be-for-this-'special choosing'-thing_. After a tense moment, Erza swung her gaze back to Bisca.

"I see. I understand that she might be curious as to the kitchen's activities, but this is not her place. Please escort Lady…" She paused.

"Heartphilia," Lucy stammered out. "Lucy Heartphilia."

Erza pursed her lips and offered a small smile of amusement. "Please escort Lady Heatphilia to a spare room, Bisca."

Bisca breathed a sigh of relief as Erza's features softened and beamed at Lucy. She turned to Lucy with a grateful smile, her hand reaching up to tug the white chef's hat off. "You heard the lady, Lucy. Let's get a move on, shall we?" She grabbed Lucy's hand and the two flew out the door, closing it behind them before Erza could reprimand Bisca for not addressing Lucy formally.

They slowed to a slow walk as soon as they were out of earshot, and Bisca turned to Lucy with a sheepish grin. "Sorry there, Lucy. I didn't even ask who you were last night, and then I went'n just put ya in a spot of trouble. Didn't know you were a Princess or anything."

"No, no, it's alright- wait, trouble?" She frowned, stopping in the corridor. Bisca tilted her head, as if _why_ she was now in trouble were an obvious thing; Lucy sighed. "What's so bad about this 'event' that's happening today, anyway?"

Bisca stared for a moment and then chuckled, putting a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "Oh, I thought you already knew! What with ya stumblin' round like a lost puppy outside them castle walls and all. Princess, it's The Choosing. The Prince of the castle has come of age and is ready to be wed."

Lucy gave a start, and took a moment to fumble for words in her sudden shock before they poured out in a flood. "A _choosing?_ W-wait, for a _wedding_? I-I mean, um, there's others who will be trying to be chosen, right? But why make such a big deal out of it?"

Bisca gave her a queer look. "You really _aren't_ from 'round these parts, are you, Princess?" She took Lucy by the hand, guiding her to one of the windows that lined the stone hallway, and gestured towards the mountains. "The Dragneels own all the land 'till them yonder mountains. They're the richest folks 'round here- _everyone_ knows that."

Bisca paused, turning to cast a cautious stare on Lucy, who chuckled nervously. "Everyone 'cept you," the cook said softly. She shook her head once and guided Lucy up an extensive spiral staircase. Lucy wanted to look up, but the dizzying spiral of the stairs did little to help her jumbled thoughts, so she kept her eyes glued to the ground, trying to calm herself. _Left foot, right foot, left, right…_

"So, um, this _choosing_," Lucy said carefully. "How does it work?"

Bisca shrugged. "I don't know much, Milady. Just that they do a buncha tests and judge if you're ladylike or anything, and if you pass their standards, you move on to the next test."

"And you're _sure _that you don't know anything about these tests?" Lucy asked, trying her best not to sound desperate.

Bisca simply shrugged. "This is the first time we've had The Choosing."

Bisca continued to chatter aimlessly, clearly avoiding any suspicions she had about Lucy's questionable origins, and led her up to a long hallway with countless doors.

"These're the guest quarters," Bisca said respectfully, leading Lucy to a door on the far end. "The Ladies stay here, waiting for The Choosing to start. Why don't you rest a while? The Choosing won't start for another hour, and," she gave Lucy a once over, giving her a wry smile, "the closet should have some spare gowns should you be needing a clean one to change into."

Flushing a fierce crimson, Lucy quickly stepped inside the chamber and shut the door.

* * *

><p>Natsu's jaw went slack- two fish, five breadsticks, a slice of cheese, and several grapes all rolled out from his mouth and onto the floor. A maid who was setting another dish onto the dining table flinched away with a comical grimace.<p>

"_I'M GETTING MARRIED?_" Natsu choked (oh, wait- there was still another grape in there. That certainly explained a lot).

Igneel raised an eyebrow, downing a goblet of wine and stuffing a sweetmeat into his mouth. "Yew mind your mfanners, you bittle bwaht," Igneel snorted, spewing breadcrumbs everywhere. By his side, Grandine sighed, running a hand through her cascading ivory locks. Across from Natsu, Wendy giggled, delicately picking up a few crackers spread with cheese and nibbling on them.

"Like father, like son, right Momma?" Wendy grinned, popping another cracker into her mouth.

"Igneel is right, hun," Grandine grinned, slicing a piece of ham with her silverware. "You need to mind your manners. Have to give a good impression for your future wife and all."

"But you told me that marriage sucks," Natsu moped, losing his appetite for the first time in his life. "You said that women are bossy and make you pick up clothes and do work and stuff."

Grandine shot her husband a dirty look- Igneel laughed nervously, shooting a glare at Natsu before gulping audibly and saying, "Now, now, where'd'ya hear that? Marriage is a _wonderful_ thing. 'Specially if you get married to some eye candy. Now _there's_ an incentive for marriage for ya- _ow!"_ Igneel swore under his breath as Grandine smoothly elbowed Igneel's side, returning to her meal as he hunched over, muttering curses.

A fleeting image of Lucy smiling popped up in Natsu's mind; Natsu scowled, wondering how his mind had screwed up the word 'marriage' for 'Lucy'. Quite obviously, they were not related in any way. An odd feeling of frustration rose up in his chest, and his appetite returned tenfold- he stuffed his mouth with food again, eager to avoid his weird thoughts.

"Don't choke," Wendy fretted, setting down her fork. "You'll disappoint all those pretty ladies, and then what?"

Natsu froze mid-swallow, choked, hacked for a moment, and swallowed. _Pretty ladies…_ Was it possible that Lucy was here? Wait, was Lucy a pretty lady? He opened his mouth to ask if his parents had perhaps seen a blonde running around, waiting to get married to him-

"Uh," Natsu said intelligently, and was decidedly unable to say anything after that.

Just then, a green-haired maid he recognized as Bisca walked in, setting down a cup of coffee in front of him with a soft sigh. "Coffee, just as you requested, m'lord," she said, careful not to slosh the contents.

Natsu immediately recognized the smell- it was the scent of Lucy's apartment, full of rich, warm scents that often flooded her room in the morning to the point that there was a caffeine buzz. "Half-skinny half- 1 percent extra hot split quad shot- two shots decaf, two shots regular- with whip cream, just how you like it."

Natsu momentarily wondered if such things existed in medieval times anyway, but the drink had quite a delicious scent despite his innate dislike of coffee, and it smelled so _Lucy_ that he graciously took it and gulped the drink down, feeling as if it were burning his tongue and yet simultaneously feeling that it wasn't hot enough.

"Hope you find a lady that catches your eye during The Choosing, sir," Bisca murmured, bending over to retrieve an empty plate. "There _is_ an awfully odd blonde lady you'll want to avoid, though. I have my doubts 'bout that one, I do."

Natsu choked for the third time that morning, spurting coffee across the table and towards Wendy; his sister sneezed in a rather timely manner and sent a huge gust that had the coffee splattering onto the table and getting a few drops on Natsu's shirt and Bisca's dress. Bisca cried out in dismay, but Natsu easily ignored the stains, scratching his wind-tossed hair.

"A blonde, huh?" He asked. He didn't recall any tale that seemed familiar to this one thus far, but surely _Lucy_ would have figured it out by now. "Say, do you know her name-?"

"My son has a taste for blondes, eh?" Igneel's voice boomed, chuckling heartily. "Jeez, that boy! He's a walking cliché, that's what he is!"

Natsu frowned, torn between further questioning Bisca and asking his father what a 'cliché' was, but Bisca had already escaped, no doubt to wash the coffee stain off her dress.

"I'm sure you'll find a pretty girl," Wendy said soothingly as he bashed his head against the table.

To his family's immense surprise, Natsu leapt from his chair, knocking it over in the process, and sped in the direction Bisca had likely gone. As luck would have it, he also kicked the table and porridge flew straight onto Igneel's face, covering him from temple to chin.

Igneel blinked. "Well, wudduya know? Maybe he has a thing for people with grass-hair."

He doubled over in pain when a fork miraculously stabbed him of its own accord. Next to him, Grandine didn't bat an eye.

* * *

><p>All the women in the kitchen let out a high pitched shriek as the door banged open (as well as some of the men, but they would never testify to that), revealing their Prince, his entire face livid.<p>

"Where… is… _Bisca_?" He seethed out.

The entire staff took one look at his flaming fist and swung their arms to point at Bisca, who was staring open-mouthed at their Prince, a ladle dripping soup trembling in her fingers.

"Um…" She bit her lip. "Did you not enjoy your coffee, Prince Natsu?"

To the surprise of the kitchen staff, the flame immediately vanished and a large grin spread over his face. In two, easy bounds, he was at Bisca's side, putting a large hand on her shoulder.

"Actually," he said cheerfully, all trace of anger gone (which was as utterly _weird_ as it was in character- the kitchen staff shrugged and went back to work), "I really liked the coffee for some reason. Anyway, that's not why I'm here." He narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Bisca. "That blonde you were talking about. What's her name?"

Bisca frowned. "Lucy Heartphilia. Why?"

Natsu blinked, and then to Bisca's further surprise, a sly grin spread over his face. "Oh, nothing," he chuckled, already making his way out the door. "How much longer until The Choosing starts, hm?"

Bisca glanced at a clock and let out an anxious wail as Natsu laughed, leaving the kitchen to the wrath of Erza, whose began spouting commands at a breakneck pace.

* * *

><p>Lucy flinched as the maid attending to her tugged the dress on- it was too <em>tight!<em> Sure, it was pretty to _look_ at, but the bodice was being strung to the point that she was practically _suffocating, _and jeez, her normal waist line was perfectly fine, thank you very much!

As if reading her thoughts, the maid looked up. As luck would have it, it was Virgo, who was adjusting the dress to be even _tighter _with a completely monotonous expression. "I apologize, Princess, but the Dragneels specifically ordered all the Ladies to have their dresses strewn tightly. With all due respect, your waist is too fat for the average Princess."

"I. am. _NOT. FAT._"

Virgo offered a sympathetic expression (which, for her, was the almost imperceptible downwards twitch of her lips). "If you wish, you may punish me, Princess."

"I don't want to punish you!" Lucy wailed, trying her best to breathe without inhaling harsh breaths. She was _suffocating_. This was way too much like her home at the Heartphilia residence-

Virgo got, bowing once and turning to leave. "You are the last one I have attended to. The Choosing starts soon. You are to follow the others into the banquet hall for further instructions. I wish you luck, Milady."

"Wait," Lucy's hand went up hesitantly, reaching towards Virgo. Virgo turned; despite that Lucy recognized everything about Virgo and her mage senses were tingling, alerting her to a magical presence, this Virgo appeared to have absolutely no recognition of her. But surely she was still the same person… "Can I have a hint at least? Something to go on, just the _teeniest_ bit of help?"

Virgo stared at her. Lucy beamed.

After a moment, the maid's lips moved. "I can only tell you that things are never as they seem, Princess."

And with those recondite words, Virgo left the room.

Lucy sighed- _of course, it just had to be something she would never figure out-_ and glanced at the vanity, making sure that her hair and dress were _perfect_, and with a deep breath, she stepped out the door.

She saw the other doors in the hallway open as well as Virgo poked her head in and out, murmuring a few words before leaving the corridor altogether. The first person Lucy saw was Lisanna, who was quickly joined by, Mirajane, Cana, and Levy, among a number of other women that she didn't recognize. She gulped- they all looked so… _superior_ (and rather snobby, she admitted).

The last woman she saw had her jaw gaping open in the most unladylike manner possible- out of the door closest to hers in the hallway stepped Ultear.

And it wasn't Ultear in her battle gear, with a sadistic sneer, and it wasn't Ultear with the immensely powerful magic; Lucy saw Ultear, a beautiful, womanly Princess who was entirely in a league of her own, besting all the others.

_Including herself_, Lucy realized with a sinking heart as the women began their descent down the stairs towards the banquet hall. Truth be told, she was probably the least flattering of all the women present- Lisanna and Mirajane were radiant in their beauty, and Levy was easily as cute as she was graceful. Even Cana managed to look beautiful despite her less-than-nimble gait and messy hair (though honestly, Cana still looked positively drunk). Every single one of the Ladies there were elegant and held themselves with a confident air. She'd long forgotten how to do that.

Still… her lips tugged upwards. She was grateful for it. Fairy Tail had done it, after all.

They ambled into the large hall, passing the large, ligneous table that had been pushed a little to the side, and lined up in front of the two large chairs that rested at the head of the room.

The first person that caught Lucy's eye was the man sitting on the right chair; tousled pink hair crowned a regal face, as rough and angular as it was handsome. There were multiple scars across his face and poking out from sleeves, but the one that stuck out the most to her was a jagged line that marred his neck. The only thing that marked him as royalty was a lopsided crown almost buried in pink tangles.

He looked absolutely _bored_ _to death_.

And he looked so much like Natsu that she wanted to go up to him and punch him for not being with her when she had no idea that it was apparently _his_ family that owned the castle-

"I assume that you all know why you are here," the woman sitting next to the pink-haired man spoke up, and Lucy's attention was drawn to her for the first time; her words were not a question, but a commanding statement. She was rather pretty, in a feral sort of way "You are to seat yourselves at the table for a meal. You seven haven't had breakfast yet, have you, Ladies?"

The said women looked at her and, simultaneously (in fact, it was as if it were practically _rehearsed_, and Lucy wanted to burst into tears) intoned, "No, Your Highness."

Lucy quickly echoed their statement, but she was a little too late, and her voice lingered. All of the present people glanced at her; Lucy bit down on her lip, hearing her voice echo in her head. _Oh, crap…_

She breathed a sigh of relief when the woman turned away to address all of them once more: "Go and seat yourselves. The Prince will be out in a moment. You may talk amongst yourselves."

Lucy mechanically followed the others to the table- _really, the smell was delicious_- and awkwardly seated herself, almost missing the chair and stumbling onto the floor in her anxiousness. Mirajane and Cana sat next to her; across from Lucy, Ultear sat herself, her posture ramrod straight and expression blank. The rest of the Princesses quickly took their seat.

"Hello," Mirajane sang from next to her. "I haven't seen you before. Did you arrive late?"

"Y-yes," Lucy stammered, trying not to slurp the soup loudly. Damn it, she was _raised_ in this kind of environment- the nerves were an unwelcome and alien experience. At the very least, Mirajane's gentle presence was comforting… Lucy forced herself to relax, and the two began to converse more naturally.

"You think the Prince is going to be late?" Mirajane tilted her head, curious eyes wide and searching. "I haven't seen a single glance of him yet-"

As if on cue, Natsu jumped into the room, let out a battle cry, and launched himself at his father, foot blazing with a bright fire.

"You damn brat!" The crowned man Lucy had found intriguing jumped up and ducked- Natsu crashed into the wall and fell onto the chair, toppling headfirst onto the floor with a pained groan.

"What was that for?" Natsu whined, flopping onto his stomach. Lucy barely suppressed the giggle that threatened to escape her lips- Natsu was Natsu, no matter when or where (and she noted that he had opened up the royal robes so that his chest was bared to the world, and for some reason, she was turning that damnable shade of red).

"The hell?" The man scowled, running through his salmon locks, and Lucy really _did_ have to hold in a laugh here, because Natsu was doing the exact same thing. "You're the one who attacked me, kid!"

"Only cuz you made me run laps before eating more, Igneel!" Natsu grouched, standing up and dusting himself off. "Man, I can't believe you even sent _Wendy_ to do them. She still has, like, thirty more to go!"

Lucy bit her lip. If this man was Igneel, his father, that would mean that the castle _wasn't _owned by dragons! What a relief (although she had already suspected that a real dragon wouldn't be able to avoid burning the castle down, anyway). In any case, it would explain why he and Natsu looked so _alike_ in every way.

And if this Igneel was… _Igneel_, then how would Natsu bear to be torn from this chapter?

Unwilling to think such thoughts, Lucy averted her gaze from the scene and looked down at her hands, fiddling with her fingers. Igneel really was a roguish sort of charming. If Natsu grew up to look like him…

She choked on her spit, causing several heads to turn and look at her. Mirajane patted her on the back comfortingly as Lisanna giggled.

"The Prince is really sort of good-looking, isn't he?" Mirajane said slyly. The blonde could barely hear the older woman over Natsu's shouts.

"I-Is he?" Lucy coughed, and amended, "I-I mean, sure, he is."

Mirajane chuckled at Lucy's response. "Relax. I'm not here to take him. I'm mostly here to accompany my younger sister. I believe Lisanna would be much more suited for Natsu than I would be, and he's too young for me anyhow."

Lisanna's ears perked up, hearing her name; straightening her back, she smiled warmly at Lucy. Lucy did her best to smile back, flinching as Igneel and Natsu's shouts became markedly louder.

Cana snorted loudly from the stellar mage's left. "He's _way _too young for _me_. He probably hasn't even hit drinking age yet." (The spirit mage noted that Cana had yet to eat anything, and was attacking the wine instead.) "He has a nice body though, I'll give him that." She smirked appreciatively, and Lucy had to take a moment to prevent her self from choking her spit again.

"Go eat, brat!" Igneel hissed, grabbing Natsu by the arm and shoving him off towards the table. "Your future wife is there, somewhere, waiting for you, and you're certainly not making a good impression!"

"Honey, you're not helping," Grandine said, rubbing her temple. She flicked her wrist towards her husband, and a gale resulted, pushing Igneel off his feet and into the wall despite Igneel's protests of "_Grandineee-uhhh!"_

Lucy gulped; Lisanna merely giggled.

Natsu stumbled over to the table, and didn't even bother noticing Lucy, instead grabbing for a drumstick and popping it in his mouth.

Levy was silent throughout the meal, glancing once at Natsu and never looking up from her plate again. Lucy knew that she was likely lost in thought, daydreaming about some book she'd read… Lucy desperately wanted to ask her what book it was, but they were strangers in this world, after all. She pushed her lower lip out; the situation was rather irritating. She wanted to be able to talk to her friend, dang it-

Natsu looked up, and his eyes locked onto her figure. "OH, LUCY!"

Lucy flinched when all the other women gave her uncomfortable stares; Natsu ignored the awkward atmosphere and sprinted onto the table, running straight towards Lucy, grabbing food along the way to stuff into his mouth before they were trampled under his feet.

"I've found you!" Natsu cackled, tackling her in a hug, and effectively toppling the chair so that they were both collapsed on the floor.

His face. Was buried. In her bosom. And _this was soooo not happening_. Lifting his head from her _assets_, he gave her a cheeky grin that somehow immediately claimed her forgiveness.

"Hey," she grinned. "Nice to see you, too."

"What is the meaning of this?" Ultear stood up, voice monotonous "You can't decide who you shall wed without having gone through the tests."

Lucy frowned at Ultear, and realized that Natsu's words could be interpreted as if he had already found and chosen his wife. The implications had her face heating up to uncomfortable levels, and not just because of Natsu's close proximity.

"Oh, right!" Natsu said, as if he had completely forgotten that he was about to get _married_ off. "The tests!"

"Seat yourselves," Grandine spoke, her voice barely tinged with… _amusement_? Ultear shot a glare at Lucy and slowly sat down.

Lucy breathed a sigh of relief when Natsu got off of her and silently admitted to herself that she missed his heat before grabbing the chair and hoisting herself back up.

The rest of the meal went by pretty smoothly, excluding the glares that Ultear constantly sent Lucy's way, Levy's thoughtful silence, the disgusting noises Natsu was making the _entire time _he was eating (which was kind of endearing, but _still!_), and…

…and her trembling hands, which wouldn't stop _shaking_. There was absolutely no reason to be nervous! She was raised to be _prim _and _proper_! For crying out loud, she was Lucy freakin' Heartphilia, and she was supposed to be _in her zone! _

And she… could feel Igneel and Grandine staring at her back. Awkward.

Nevertheless, her 'zone' was seriously betraying herself right now, and Lucy found herself enjoying the food _way _too much (she hadn't eaten properly in _ages_!). This resulted in the slurping of soup, flying breadcrumbs, stains on her dress, a _really _awkward piece of lamb that dropped into her dress, and a… _something_ that somehow ended up splattered on her face.

Lucy twitched.

Looking up, she saw Ultear looking right back at her, not even bothering to hide the satisfied smirk gracing her features. _Oh, the NERVE of that woman-!_

"That's enough," Grandine's voice came. "Return to your chambers."

Lucy seethed, wishing for a moment that she had Natsu's strength so she could do _something_ to Ultear, but stood up, brushed off as much of the food as she could from her dress, and followed the rest towards the stairs.

"Wait!" Natsu called, bounding up to her in a few easy leaps. Lucy sighed miserably, glancing at Igneel and Grandine, whose hard stares were boring right through her, and did her best not to wince as she smiled.

"What is it?"

"Your face," Natsu grinned wickedly, reaching up to poke her cheek. His finger came off with a red, sticky substance she recognized as jam. Licking his lips anticipatorily, Natsu popped his finger in his mouth and licked the jam off eagerly. Lucy scoffed- how typicalof Natsu.

"Yes," Lucy groaned. "I know my face looks stupid with jam on it."

"Actually," Natsu said brightly, "The jam is great! It tastes really good."

And then he leaned over and _licked her._

Lucy barely managed to stifle the shriek that shot up through her throat- and quite frankly, she wouldn't have been able to were it not for Igneel and Grandine's _terrifying_ presences- and stood statue-still as Natsu proceeded to grab her arms and _lick the jam off of her face_. Which may or may not have been that bad if it weren't for the fact that Natsu obviously had no idea of the implications of what he was doing to her _face_!

Which was, by the way, heating up to at least a million degrees, and she wouldn't be surprised if it was literally on fire, because it was _Natsu_ who was licking her, and… and his tongue was actually quite warm. A little rough, but warm, and his breath was sending shivers up her spine, but it would probably be no different if he _kissed_ her-

-at that thought, Lucy broke away from Natsu with a yelp and untangled herself from a puzzled Natsu, whose arms were left suspended in air, and his tongue poking out from between his lips. The sight would have been comical if Lucy had taken the time to notice it, but as it was, she was too busy fleeing from Grandine's harsh stare. She quickly stepped out of the hall and jerkily climbed the stairs.

Natsu rose an eyebrow, turning to his parents. "What's up with her?"

Grandine looked amused; Igneel, more so. "Good choice, son." He laughed, throwing his head back, and eyed Grandine. "She wasn't very lady-like, was she, Grandine?"

"No," Grandine said with the small, upwards curving of her lips. "She wasn't."

A puffing sound was heard from the end of the hall- Wendy stumbled in, gasping for air. "I… finished the fifty laps… Daddy…" Throwing a curious glance at Natsu, who was still standing in the middle of the hall, and then at her parents, who looked appropriately amused, she asked, "Did I… miss something?"

Natsu merely grinned and licked his lips.

* * *

><p>The second she got back to her room, Lucy tore off her dress, revealing the white undergarments under the thick fabric. Breathing a huge sigh of relief now that the damned corset was off, she threw herself onto the bed.<p>

_Natsu. Natsu, Natsu, Natsu. _What was she going to _do _with him?

She had yet to read a fairy tale that was like this so far, but then again most of the fairy tales had been severely warped so far, and for all she knew, this was just a classic folk tale that had been skewed by the presence of the insane Fairy Tail members.

But what she found even more vexing than that was her heart, which wouldn't stop thumping erratically despite all of her attempts to steady it. She thought she'd come to terms with her feelings with the eccentric dragonslayer! And despite that, he'd gone and done something and sent her tumbling into a whirl of confusion and she couldn't _think straight, for god's sake_.

Liking Natsu, she decided, was a lot more complicated than it sounded. Just when she thought she'd seen it all, just when she thought she'd pinned down a _miniscule _of his weird pattern of behavior, he'd gone and thrown a curveball at her. That was to say, she liked him enough that she had accepted it, and (this was the hardest part to admit) she wanted to _do something _about it.

But the terrifying thing was deciding _what_ to do because Natsu was an impressively oblivious _moron_.

Lucy's scrambled thoughts were interrupted by a knocking on the door. Rolling over onto her back, Lucy quickly shoved on her previous, plainer dress (and it was _much_ more comfortable), and muttered, "Come in."

Virgo poked her head through the door, and stepped inside. "How are you, Princess?"

"Been better," Lucy murmured, putting a hand on her cheek. It was still warm.

"I have come to inform you that you are one of the three who were chosen to pass on to the next test," Virgo said, with the tiniest hint of a smile. "Congratulations, Princess."

"What?" The blonde shot up, squashing the relief that threatened to overwhelm her. Damn it, this was the _Dragneel_ family, and if they were _Natsu's_ parents, there would undoubtedly be harder tests. The storm hadn't passed yet. "You're saying that I spilled my food everywhere, got _jam_ on my face, made a spectacularly embarrassing scene, and yet I _passed_? Are you kidding me?"

The pink-haired maid cocked her head. "Do you wish to punish me, Princess?"

"What? No, no!" Lucy bit down on her lip, and let out a sigh. _Just take it for now, Lucy. You passed the first round- that's enough._ "Thank you so much, Virgo!"

"You are welcome, Princess." Virgo bowed and shut the door.

Lucy stared at the door long after Virgo had gone and let out a victorious whoop, jumping around the room. So she _hadn't_ screwed it up, after all! So far, the quickest way out of the chapters had been following the storyline set out in front of her, and this seemed to be it. No matter that it was obvious that Natsu's parents' standards were _severely_ skewed, but she had a chance to marry him!

Lucy hesitated, her smile drooping; since when had she wanted to get _married_ to Natsu so much? Sure, she liked the guy (okay, a _lot_), but did she like him enough to _marry_ him?

With a groan, she realized that she had practically come full circle in her thoughts.

She pursed her lips when an additional thought struck her- _Igneel_. Natsu had bonds with him, no doubt. She herself had felt the same thing with her mother, but the sense of closure combined with the knowledge that her mother was already… _deceased_ was enough to bring peace to her departure. But Natsu believed very strongly that Igneel was still alive. What if-_?_

The said thoughts were once again interrupted by three, quick raps on the door. Blinking, Lucy reached out towards the handle, fingers wrapping around the wood. "Virgo, did you forget something-?"

The door opened; the blonde mage's brown eyes met with startling dark ones, staring at her with no expression.

"Ultear?" Lucy managed a half-hearted smile. "Um… do you need something?"

Ultear took strong, broad steps towards Lucy, who backed up in response, surprised. The door shut behind Ultear, who regarded the blonde with contempt.

"Listen," she hissed lowly. The warm evening light wasn't exactly intimidating, but somehow, the warm sun that was hitting Ultear's face at just the right angle was much more frightening than any melodramatic lightning or moonlight. "I _need_ this marriage, and I don't care if you and Dragneel have some odd sort of bond, but you will _not_ interfere. I've lost too much to get here, and I'll be damned if I don't accomplish my goal."

"What?" Lucy spluttered, prickling. "Who are you to march in and tell me that I can't be friendly with my best friend?"

Ultear's eyes flashed dangerously. "Like I said, I don't care. Heartphilia, is it not? My family has been _raising_ me for this moment. We are in desperate need of the power, both politically and financially, and you would do well to not get in the way."

The feeling that Lucy had harbored against her father- an odd combination of teenage rebellion and a freedom that gave her a rush she absolutely _loved_- rose up in her, and Lucy straightened her back, her lips hardening into a firm line.

"You obviously don't _understand_," Lucy murmured, mustering all her courage and stepping forward so that she was exactly eye-to-eye with Ultear, "That I am not a_ pawn_, and you cannot tell me what to do. If I want to be close to my friend, then I will do so. If I want to pass a test, then I will do so. And if I wish to ignore your demands, I will do so, and you may- no- _will_ not oppress me."

Ultear's eyes narrowed. "You are a foolish little girl," She said, and the powerful aura that the older woman was suddenly emanating nearly overwhelmed Lucy. And it would have, had she not gone and faced her father all those months ago, and stood up to that very same presence. _And she had her friends to thank for it_. A small smile curved her lips.

This didn't go unnoticed by Ultear, who scoffed. "And you think that you could stop me from getting what I want?"

"No," Lucy shook her head with an insane confidence she hadn't known she possessed. "I _know_ so."

The raven-haired beauty regarded the younger girl for a long, tense moment before turning to leave. Lucy breathed a silent sigh of relief. Ultear paused at the door, her fingers lingering on the handle.

"You would do well to know," Ultear said quietly, "That it is clear that if the two of us fought, I would emerge the victor. I am a powerful mage from a prestigious family. I could do lasting harm to your own, politically and… physically."

Lucy allowed the threat to hang in the air for a moment, and turned away.

Ultear left.

The second the door closed, Lucy allowed a small chuckle to escape her lips. As frightening as Ultear had been, it wasn't as if the woman knew that Lucy did not, in fact, belong in this world, and rather, was a visitor who would be leaving once the story's plot was all said and done.

It was all quite silly, really, to think that Ultear's intimidating threat was completely null and void. And her willpower! She hadn't thought that she could have stood up to such a scary person like _that_. She threw herself on the bed, buried her head in her pillow, and laughed. Natsu would be proud, she thought to herself.

Still…

Grim, Lucy knew that Ultear's magical presence was overwhelmingly powerful, and it was very likely that it ever came to actual combat, she would lose. She didn't even know where her keys were, and considering that Virgo was an actual character rather than her spirit, Lucy felt naked in her defenselessness.

She crossed her fingers. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that.

* * *

><p>Natsu sat on his sooty blankets, smiling down at Wendy, who was sitting in his lap, fingering strands of delicate pink locks.<p>

"Don't tell me that Mum and Dad were right in thinking that you've already chosen," Wendy said absently.

"Who?" He blinked down at her; she rolled her eyes.

"You know. That blonde girl you made such a fuss over."

"Mmm." Natsu hummed. "I'm going to marry that girl."

Wendy giggled her approval, and Natsu briefly wondered if it was for the sake of escaping the fairy tale or if he actually…

…well, it didn't matter at the moment, so screw that. Natsu abandoned the thought just in time to watch Wendy sneeze and blow off his shirt.

* * *

><p>The following day was torturous. Rather than the simple 'test' of eating (which Lucy, for the most part, enjoyed because of all the <em>spectacular food<em>), there was archery, followed by a _dreadfully _long swim (in underwear, of course), a shower under freezing cold water, and then dancing in high heels that made Lucy's feet hurt just _looking_ at them.

And currently, they were donning those very same shoes and trying to navigate an obstacle course.

"I," Lisanna puffed out- of the seven that had started out, only she, Ultear, and Lucy remained- "I don't get why they're making us do all this. Is the point to see how ladylike our demeanor remains while we are climbing monkey bars above _really _sharp-looking spikes?"

Lucy merely gave a sympathetic wince- from the corner of her eye, she spotted Ultear, who leapt onto the bars (which were slick with oil) and walked on top of them as if she were taking a stroll in the park. She turned around, sending an evil smirk towards Lucy, and the words that were playing in her eyes were as loud as if she had shouted them to Lucy.

_Dragneel is mine, little girl_, Ultear didn't say.

Lucy glared right back, making sure Ultear received _her_ own message: _Back off, you hag_.

Ultear whipped her head back around and Lucy coughed awkwardly; Lisanna gave Lucy an odd look, and shrugged. "I'll take the longer course. Longer, but less painful." She wrinkled her delicate nose and turned back towards the beginning. "You coming, Heartphilia?"

Lucy seethed at the direction Ultear had gone off, and against her better judgment, against everything her sanity was screaming for her to do, against everything that was _Lucy Heartphilia…_

_Dragneel's mine, little girl._

"No," Lucy grit out slowly, feeling the most incensed she had felt since she entered the book. "I think I'll keep going."

Lisanna shrugged, and with a light "Good luck, then, Lucy!", she went off.

Lucy let out a deep sigh and checked to see how much of the obstacle course still remained.

…It was…long. Lucy set her jaw taut, and fists clenched, she began.

* * *

><p>By the time Lucy stumbled out of the end of the course, the blue of the sky had started to fade into a softer, peach hue and warm glow. The absence of the beating sun was a welcome change to Lucy, who was literally dripping sweat <em>everywhere<em> as she cleared the last part of the course (which was a very well-built rock wall made of hot coals).

She collapsed onto the ground, savoring the cool dampness of the grass, not even caring that her dress was torn to shreds, revealing an unflattering amount of skin, and she was covered with bruises and burns. She was so tired she could have fallen asleep right there, with her face buried in the dirt.

It wouldn't have been as bad if it weren't for Igneel, Grandine, Natsu, Lisanna, and Ultear all watching her with wide eyes.

Loathing the fact that she had to be on her stomach while the others were standing tall, Lucy forced herself to her feet, wondering exactly what had possessed herself to go off and actually _follow_ Ultear past iron spikes, swinging axes, flamethrowers, falling stones, and hot coals. It was a testament to her luck that she survived at all (really, after all the dangerous adventures she'd had with Fairy Tail, her luck was practically a trained trait).

"Are you alright?" Lisanna rushed to Lucy's side to help steady her as Natsu walked up, surprise etched on his face.

"Hey, Lucy! You look like you went off training or something!" He grinned cheekily. Lucy took one look at him, buried her head in the crook of Lisanna's neck, and cried out loud.

"Looks like you made it," Ultear looked smug. Lucy noted there was barely a single scratch on her person; torn between asking her how she had done it and clawing her eyes out, the blonde 'Princess' instead settled for clutching Lisanna in a tight hug and biting down on her lip.

"We've made our decision," Grandine said, stepping forward to put a hand on Natsu's shoulder. "Lisanna, I regretfully inform you that you will not be moving on for the final test."

Lisanna blinked, and Lucy saw the sting of rejection in her crystal eyes briefly flicker and clear instantly; the girl smiled brightly, bowing down and accepting the decision.

"Honestly," she whispered to Lucy as she curled a finger in her white strands, moving to walk back to the castle, "I think it's because I took the easy way. The last part was a swing set, of all things!"

Lucy laughed. "How ever did you manage it?"

Lisanna put a delicate finger to her mouth, humming. "You know, I wouldn't have gone the long way if it weren't for this weird pink-haired maid that popped up and told me it was easier. Thanks to her, I'm not injured or anything." Seeing Lucy's theatrical wince, she amended, "Well, it's not that I'm glad you were hurt, but I'm just happy I avoided that, you know? I don't think I'm as physically apt as either of you."

Lucy stared, surprised at the sudden compliment (and more so at the supposed intervention of Virgo), and smiled to herself as the white-haired Princess left, calling, "Good luck!"

Turning to look at Ultear, she steeled herself for the next, undoubtedly painfully difficult task; the raven-haired Princess seemed equally determined.

To both of their surprise, Igneel clapped his hands together and said, "It's time for bed, kids!"

And suddenly, with a sinking feeling, Lucy thought that she knew what fairy tale this was.

* * *

><p>Natsu watched as two maids appeared and escorted his potential wives away, and not without some consternation.<p>

"Hey, hey," Natsu grumbled to his father. "What _is_ the next test?"

Igneel raised an eyebrow. "Now, look here, kid. I know you've had this really weird fascination with that blonde chick, but you can't be biased and give her hints. Remember, these tests were designed to see who was more suitable for you. They test the delicacy of the Princess. It's for your own good."

The pink-haired boy pushed out his lower lip, plopping onto the floor and staring at the obstacle course. "She got hurt," Natsu mouthed to himself. Was it his fault again? Had he, once again, inadvertently put his beloved nakama in danger? He was always the protector, not the one who threatened their safety…

And especially not Lucy's. God, she was frustrating. Every single time he thought of her lately, the thoughts were a piled heap of shit, like some kind of garbage dump. And he was sure that under that pile of crap, there would be a Eureka moment, something tangible that he could comprehend and grasp. He just had to find it.

Brow furrowed in concentration, Natsu never saw his father shake his head, wondering exactly what weird analogies his son was using in his rare moment of contemplation.

As Igneel and Grandine walked back to the castle, Igneel murmured to his wife, "He's totally a sucker for the blondes."

Grandine responded with a fond smile of her own and a sharp jab to his gut.

* * *

><p>…And oh, she had been right. She had been so utterly, dreadfully right.<p>

"Y'know, Virgo…" Lucy squeaked breathlessly as they entered the colossal room. "I'm terrified of heights. Do I _have_ to do this?" All thoughts of questioning Virgo's interference with the test flew out the window with this new, terrifying prospect.

Virgo swiveled her head in a distinctly owl-like manner (and with the same expression, too! Lucy couldn't decide whether to shudder or chuckle) and bowed. "I apologize, Princess, but you must go through with it. You may punish me if you wish, however."

"No, it's okay," Lucy sighed, and made her way towards the ladder in the center of the room, which scaled up twenty, thick mattresses. Virgo handed her a nightgown that Lucy graciously accepted.

Virgo bowed and left while Lucy had the Lucy-equivalent of a panic attack, changing her clothes shakily.

She shakily clutched the side, stepping carefully- _carefully!_- on each and every rung on the ladder, making she that the beds wouldn't topple over on her or something as she made her ascent.

She knew that at the very bottom of the twenty mattresses, there would be a tiny, single pea (and quite honestly, it was _ridiculous!_ Who would feel a pea under twenty freakin' beds?), but she _really _didn't want to scale down half the ladder just to satisfy her curiosity when she was almost there.

The blonde finally made it to the top with shaky breaths and an exhausted sigh, and did her best not to fling herself onto the mattress and go crashing down to her _doom_ or whatever.

But, the bed really was comfortable- wait, _no!_ Bisca _had_ said that the tale tested the Princess' delicacy, and if that was true, then perhaps she stood a chance against Ultear after all!

…Still, if she wanted to claim that she'd had 'an absolutely terrible night with no sleep' because of a tiny little vegetable at the bottom of her bed, she'd have to play the part. That'd mean she would have to force herself to stay awake!

Lucy yawned. Perhaps she could stay awake tomorrow; the sheets were fluffy and soft and she was practically melting into the bed…

And, chastising herself the entire time, Lucy fell asleep.

Virgo's odd advice to Lisanna was the furthest thing from her mind.

* * *

><p>Natsu shifted in his bed, unable to sleep despite the comforting smell of the burnt sheets.<p>

_Igneel_. The focus of his entire life, practically presented to him on a silver platter with this chapter… and despite the undeniable happiness that Natsu felt and the fatherly presence Igneel held, there was… something irrevocably wrong.

He wrinkled his nose. _His scent_.

Of course. This wasn't his Igneel- for all he knew, it was just some… weird product of his imagination. This Igneel didn't smell like trees and dirt and fire and the sun, and… and it wasn't the same. It was as if every chapter in the book was just a dream, and the only real thing was-

_Lucy_.

That idiot had gotten herself sucked into the book with him, so of _course_ she was real. Natsu nodded, satisfied at his own logic, and shifted onto his other side, a new determination settling in.

_I'll get out of this damned book with Lucy… and I'll find you for real, Igneel. Just you wait._

* * *

><p>She was in a white gown with a long train, and Natsu was smiling, and behind him were his parents, smiling their approval of the wedding, and <em>they were getting married, um what.<em>

Lucy watched smugly as Ultear sobbed to herself in a corner and bawled about how terribly non-scary she was and how Lucy hadn't been in denial when she said she wasn't scared out of her mind of Ultear. Lucy took Natsu's hand, and he leaned in for a kiss. She found her lids fluttering shut, her lips puckering ever so slightly…

…and something flashed, and suddenly, she was back on Earthland in Natsu's house, and she was holding a tiny little bundle. The bundle was wailing. Lucy regarded it with surprise, and, heart beating in excitement, pushed aside the blanket to reveal-

"A blue cat?" She gawked. "Wait, _H-Happy?_"

"I'm home, honey," Natsu cooed, stepping through the door and ruining her moment of abruptly newfound motherhood. Lucy rushed to his side, grabbing his hand with her right hand and cuddling the baby- _why the hell did it look like Happy?_- with the other. "How was the baby?" Natsu whispered in her ear.

"Oh, simply divine!" Lucy gushed, and a part of her mind wondered who the _hell_ said the word 'divine' anymore, but apparently she did, because she had just said it, and Natsu was smiling and he was _sparkling, for crying out loud-!_

And they were holding babies, and Natsu was the most handsome thing she had ever laid eyes on. Disturbingly enough, the babies were multiplying, but she couldn't seem to care less, because his eyes were like… a warm sort of fiery liquid, hypnotizing and she was being drawn into them and she couldn't look away, even as they were being buried by tiny little blue cats that smelled like baby powder…

…Lucy jolted up in her bed, screeching, flailed around for a moment, nearly toppling off the bed and plummeting to her _doom._ It took a moment to scramble back onto the covers, clutching at the blankets for her dear life, and another moment to realize that she'd been dreaming.

_Oh crap, she'd been DREAMING_.

Lucy, with as much caution as possible, rushed down the ladder (almost tripping and breaking her head in the process) and scampered out the door. Sure enough, the windows in the hall were gleaming with rays of sun.

Very, very slowly, she shut the door.

The blonde slumped against the wall and curled up, trying her best not to scream in frustration or something. She'd fallen asleep, and now what? It would show that she'd had a wonderful night of sleep, and in 'The Princess and the Pea', the main character was so delicate that she was unable to fall asleep because of the pea underneath the mattresses, and now she was doomed because she'd been careless!

Lucy flushed uncomfortably, remembering her dream. And _that_. What the heck had _that_ been? The last time she'd had any thoughts as weird as that was when she'd thought Natsu had liked her back on Earthland and had asked her to go to meet him under the town's cherry tree, and…

She blinked, tapping her fingers on the ground, a thought abruptly striking her. Was it possible that her subconscious was telling her that Natsu liked her? Could she even _dare_ to hope that he wasn't as idiotic and oblivious as he seemed and actually, even if only a little, _reciprocated_ her feelings?

The stellar spirit mage scowled a bit. Her thoughts were starting to sound an awful lot like some of her cornier romance novels. But even with that disgruntling thought, she couldn't bear to think about what it would be like if Ultear married…

She gagged at the thought.

The door creaked open, and to Lucy's surprise, Bisca stepped in, and gave a surprised start when she saw that Lucy was on the floor and not soundly asleep in bed.

"Bisca?" Lucy asked blearily, voice still heavy with sleep. "Wuddarya doing here?"

"Oh!" Bisca blushed a bright red, and scratched the back of her neck nervously with a sheepish smile. "I… I wanted to apologize, Milady."

That woke Lucy up a little- awkwardly steadying herself as she stood up, Lucy queried, "What would you have to apologize for?"

Bisca gave her a small smile and for the first time, Lucy noticed the pan that Bisca was holding, and since it actually had food on it and wasn't poised threateningly, it seemed safe enough… "Actually, I… I had some mighty strange assumptions 'bout you at first, but seeing as how you've made it this far, I… I was in the wrong, wasn't I?"

_Actually_, Lucy thought amusedly, _you were completely right in thinking I wasn't a Princess_.

"Well," she said awkwardly, "It's not like-"

"Here!" Bisca held out the pan, looking at her feet. "I know it's weird'n all, the food still bein' in a pan'n everythin', but I rushed right over the second the food was done, 'n I never even gave a thought to a plate or anythin'…"

Lucy felt a delicate pink wash over her face, embarrassed at the kind gesture. "That's… that's okay, Bisca. Thank you." She beamed at the cook, who smiled tentatively in response. "I really appreciate it."

Bisca smiled, handing the pan over to Lucy. "Well, I'd best be goin' now. You'd better prepare yourself 'n everything, too. The final part of The Choosing is gon' start soon". And with that, the door clacked shut behind her.

Lucy looked at the pan- it smelled _amazing_- and prodded the contents with the small fork on the side. Some eggs, some vegetables that seemed to have been thrown on the side, and slices of beef that had her mouth watering, along with various fish and some fruit.

Lucy eagerly stabbed some food with the fork and brought it to her lips, but the door opened again suddenly, hitting her. The movement jostled her arm; the pan gave a jolt and the food spilled, uneaten, onto the dirty floor.

The blonde mage gaped openly at the wasted food, feeling tears springing to her eyes. All that, gone to waste! She whirled around, ready to give an earful to the unknowing offender who had even _dared_ to waste such a wonderful-smelling meal, but forced herself to relax when she saw that it was Virgo.

"Oh, I'm sorry Princess," the maid frowned at her mistake, and bowed low. "I assumed you were still asleep. Shall I be punished now?"

"It's okay," Lucy mumbled, glancing forlornly at the spilled food before sighing. "I ought to return this pan to Bisca."

"I'm afraid you don't have the time, Milady," Virgo shook her head. "You and Ultear have been called to the main hall."

Lucy frowned in consternation. "Now? I just woke up."

Virgo only bowed, which Lucy took as a yes. With a sigh, she clutched the pan's handle- perhaps she'd run into Bisca on the way?- and allowed Virgo to change her into another uncomfortable dress.

* * *

><p>"Four-hundred fifty… Four-hundred fifty-one…"<p>

"You're supposed to be closer to the ground," Igneel barked. "Do it over!"

Natsu stuck out his tongue but did as told (training was training, after all! Especially from Igneel), putting his fist on the floor and balancing on it. Slowly, he lowered himself so that his head was a mere inch from the ground, and then straightened his arm. "One…"

Sitting in her mother's lap on the throne, Wendy cocked her head, watching her brother sweat bullets on the royal carpet of the throne room. "Momma, why are they training while they wait?"

"Because they're men, and men are idiots," Grandine murmured at the same time Igneel shouted, "Because girls like to see a hot and sweaty guy!"

Grandine raised a delicate eyebrow and lifted a delicate hand. Igneel flinched.

"W-wait, ahaha, now honey, you _know_ that's not what I meant-"

Much to Natsu's disappointment, his father was saved when the entrance of Lucy and Ultear distracted his mother. Igneel prodded his son with his foot; the pink-haired boy grunted and stood up shakily to face the two Princesses.

Frankly, he thought, he wasn't worried at all, because he honestly didn't think that Ultear stood a chance against Lucy. He knew what the tests' purpose was, and he also knew that while it would be a close match between the two, he felt safe putting his trust in Lucy.

He smiled when her eyes met his; she was holding a frying pan. Now how _awesome_ was that? It smelled wonderful, but to his disappointment, there wasn't any food. He slouched, sulking. _Still_, it wasn't everyday that you saw a Princess holding a freakin' pan in front of their soon-to-be-well-actually-it-was-supposed-to-be-'possible'-but-he-had-placed-his-full-trust-in-Lucy-so-it-was-'soon-to-be'-in laws. The two women walked silently towards the throne; Ultear seemed bored. Lucy seemed agitated.

Humming contentedly to himself, he plopped onto the floor to watch the final event unfurl. Lucy always knew what to do. Surely she knew how they could escape the book.

"Ladies," Grandine acknowledged with a nod, allowing Wendy to slip off her lap and run off to play. "How was your night? Did you sleep well?"

There was a deafening silence that suddenly permeated the atmosphere. Lucy shifted uncomfortably under Natsu's heated stare. Igneel jabbed his son and hissed into his ear, "Save it for the wedding night."

Grandine rolled her eyes and waited.

"Your Highness," Ultear finally said after a pause, sending a victorious smirk towards Lucy. "I slept terribly." Her voice was confident, her tone making it clear that she believed her answer was correct. There was something odd about her behavior, Lucy noted… she kept glancing at Lucy with anticipation, as if she expected something to happen, or… or, whatever, but still!

Lucy twitched. That… that _witch_! She'd stolen her answer while Lucy was still caught in the clutches of wracked nerves and-and- well, it wasn't like the answer _belonged_ to her, but still!

The rebellious feeling in Lucy roused her. She could either repeat Ultear's answer and risk both going against the fairy tale and looking like a fool that only repeated what others said for lack of ability to come up with something else…

…or, she could have a moment of badassery and go completely against Ultear, crash their wedding, and- and- she didn't know what would happen, but she knew that she _absolutely did not want another woman marrying Natsu_.

"I had a wonderful night of sleep," Lucy murmured, bowing low. "Thank you for your wonderful accommodations, Your Highness."

Natsu showed no reaction to her answer (figured- he probably didn't even know what fairy tale they were in), and Ultear seemed amused while Grandine merely blinked. Ultear glanced at Lucy.

_I found the pea under the beds_, Ultear didn't crow. _I'm willing to bet that my answer is the correct one_.

Lucy glared right back, allowing her eyes to convey her thoughts. _I'm willing to bet that you're wrong._

Grandine cleared her throat. "Under the given circumstances…"

There was a tense moment of anticipation. Lucy and Ultear were still locked in a heated mental battle; the blonde spirit mage clenched her clammy hands, watching as Ultear reciprocated the movement…

"Lucy Heartphilia," the Queen said, "You are to marry my son."

Lucy let out a whoop, and realizing that her conduct was probably inappropriate, she slammed her hand over her hand and chuckled sheepishly, but Natsu shrugged it off and laughed boisterously.

Ultear was clearly irked. "Your Highness, with all due respect, I was under the assumption that the tests were to measure our delicacy and poise as a Princess, no matter the circumstances."

The royal family took one look at her and burst out laughing.

"You're right," Grandine chuckled. "The purpose of these odd trials _was_ to test your delicacy."

"But they were meant to see if you were _too_ delicate for our son," Igneel picked up where his wife left off. "They _were_ testing to see if you Princesses were delicate. The ones that were too girly and weak were sent home."

Ultear and Lucy stared, jaws open.

"Because," Igneel continued, pounding his chest with a fist proudly, "We are a freakin' badass royal family, and we need a badass wife for my badass son."

The two Princesses stared openly as Natsu grinned widely and tackled his father in a hug. Igneel allowed it for a moment, patting his son on the back, before throwing him off and demanding that he do "One thousand more push-ups or you'll never get laid when you're older!"

Lucy couldn't resist the smile that was spreading over her face. _She was getting married to Natsu!_ Albeit, the manner in which she had gotten her was a little (severely) twisted, and it was in a _book_ and everything, but still! She couldn't deny the warmth spreading through her body.

Ultear, on the other hand, was livid. "This shouldn't have _happened_!" She whirled on Lucy, jabbing a finger in her direction. "I put a spell on Bisca! I poisoned the food in the pan, and you ate it! How are you not dead, or dreadfully ill, or unconscious, or-?"

"Oh, this?" Lucy grinned, holding up the pan. "I didn't eat it. The food spilled on the floor." It was actually _good_ luck, the blonde mage realized with a start, that Virgo had opened the door and hit Lucy. How odd.

"What?" Natsu leapt to his feet. "You spilled something that smells _that_ good onto the floor? Oh, man! What a waste of food, Lucy! How could you?"

"W-what?" Lucy spluttered. "It was an _accident_! I would have eaten it otherwise!"

Natsu merely shook his head sadly. "You're a food murderer."

"I am _not_!"

"Food murderer!"

"Yes, a murderer of all that is gourmet," Igneel said tearfully. "How dreadful."

"_Enough_!" Ultear snarled. She ripped off her dress, tearing the fabric in one smooth movement, revealing the battle suit that Lucy glimpsed but a few times, back on Earthland; her body tensed with fear as a result.

Natsu was shouting something, but Ultear was too fast, and she was already charging towards Lucy, fist drawn back and glowing. The air was humming, nearly _vibrating_ with the power of her magical force. Lucy flinched, squeezing her eyes shut and raising her hands protectively in front of her. _If only she had her keys…_

_**BAM**__!_

…

The pain never came. Lucy opened one eye hesitantly, and then the other. A mere few feet away, Ultear was crumpled on the ground, unconscious.

The stellar spirit mage took one look and burst out laughing, realizing what had happened. She had still been holding the pan, and Ultear had charged headfirst into it, and in a completely unexpected twist, had knocked herself out.

Even Natsu seemed surprised. Igneel was merely laughing and patting his son on the back, saying, "You sure chose well, son! Turns out the blondie is both hot _and_ pretty damn badass, huh?", only to be sent flying by his wife a moment later.

Natsu hopped over to Lucy, crouching next to her with a frown. "Are you alright?"

"Um…" She glanced at the frying pan. "Yes?"

A wide smile suddenly broke over Natsu's face. "Great! 'Cuz I'm tellin' ya, that was really cool! It was all like _woosh_! and _BAM!_ and _CLANG_ and stuff!"

Lucy rolled her eyes. This was all so surreal. Who would have thought that she, Lucy Heartphilia, could have beaten _Ultear_ of the 7 Kin of Purgatory with a _frying pan_?

"Blah, blah, blah." Igneel shook his head. "Talk is boring. Now, now, the wedding won't be for another month or so, so we can just settle for a kiss to seal the deal for now."

"W-w-_what?_" Lucy squeaked, voice breaking over an impressive two octaves at the same time Natsu asked, "Why?"

Lucy stared at Grandine helplessly, who shrugged, a small smile on her face. "Why not?"

Natsu swiveled his head to look at Lucy. She gulped, averting her gaze. Surely he wouldn't! Natsu was dense, but even _he_ had to know the significance of a _kiss_-

"Let's just blow this joint and get outta here," Natsu hissed to her quietly. "Out of this book and back to Earthland, to return to kicking Gray's ass and finding Igneel. This should do it, right?" His face was dangerously near, and she wasn't sure if the warmth she was feeling was from her blush or his heat.

Lucy nodded jerkily, squashing the feeling of rejection that welled up (so he didn't really _want_ to kiss her, did he? It was just for the sake of getting out of the book… was it?) and squeezed her eyes shut. His breath was ragged, blowing warmly across her skin and sending goose bumps down her spine. Really, even if it was just to escape a magical book's clutches, this kiss would be as good as any, and it was a decent place to start…

But she never received one. Instead, she felt the now-familiar pressure of the book's magic, pinpointing her magical presence and tugging on it, sucking it into the next chapter. Briefly, she caught a glimpse of Igneel and Grandine's shocked faces, their features bathed in the warm glow of the book's magic, but what really caught her eye was Natsu.

His lips were puckered up, and he looked like a fish out of water, with his eyes squeezed tightly, and his entire face sucked in. His eyebrows were furrowed, and beads of sweat were forming in his concentration. Just like he did with everything else, Natsu was willing to give his all to this one, silly kiss.

And he looked so utterly, ridiculously _adorable_, that Lucy couldn't help but laugh as they passed into the next chapter, and decided that taking it slowly was okay, too.

* * *

><p>AN: _**Please leave some feedback before leaving**_**. **This story is really fun to write, and I'm hoping that you're finding it just as fun to read! In any case, I apologize for the wait, and I _promise_ that the next wait will be shorter, so put up with this... somewhat mediocre chapter for me. If you have any problems with this chapter, PM me or comment in a review, and I will see to it as soon as I can.

Thanks to Ego Amorem Deum for the tips on character and stuff (my edits were a little rushed, weren't they? I'm sorry about that!), and apologies to songstar13 for publishing this without a proper beta-read. I'm impatient, I know. I'm sowwi :( I promise I'll re-post this chapter should you find something major and absolutely, horrifically terrible.


	9. Chapter Seven: The Little Mermaid Part I

A/N: So, after quite a few readers reminding me that it's been over a year since my last update, all I can say is… I'm sorry. Truth be told, I went through a Fairy Tail slump and lost inspiration to write for quite a while, and then went through a period where I was just too busy to write. Thank all of you awesome readers for continuing to stick with me all this time despite my poor updating skills. I love you all!

And yes, I have learned my lesson. Never again will I promise short waits for chapters unless I have the whole tale planned out. However, I do promise that I plan on writing throughout the summer, so you can expect "A Fairy Tail Ending" to pick up on updates again!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>It smelled like sushi.<p>

To be more precise, it smelled like a whole, stinkin' heap of fish. Lucy inhaled deeply without opening her eyes, vaguely aware of an odd sensation reminiscent of being underwater… except without the wet.

Curious, Lucy dared to open a single eye, and was instantly overwhelmed by a beautiful, bright collage of colors that sprang out from the scenery and into her mind. It was amazing, it was wondrous, it was-

-_slightly familiar_.

Lucy sprang up (dimly noting the spongy, almost moist feeling of the… whatever-it-was that she had been lying on), looked wildly around, and felt her entire body grow woozy.

"I'm _underwater_," she murmured breathlessly. A chain of small bubbles trailed out of her lips and floated upwards, drifting slowly towards the marble ceiling of the building she had awoken in. Another thought occurred to her- she squashed her anticipation, gathering her nerves and glancing down.

Her mouth dropped open, and from it came a garbled sound; her vision swam in front of her (and the irony of it was not lost on her. At. ALL). The blonde flailed about rather ungracefully and smacked aside several seaweed-pillows in the process.

Instead of her long, sexy, _gorgeous_ legs, she had a _fish tail_.

A freakin' _tail_.

A floppy, green, scaly _much-too-fish-like-for-her-own-sanity_ tail_._

A high-pitched keening noise escaped Lucy's throat, and were she not underwater, she might have foamed at the mouth a bit. Her first thought went to her favorite pair of jeans (which were probably gathering dust in her apartment, all perfectly folded and lonely without her) and how they would _never_ fit this monstrosity, but then-

"This tail!" She wailed. "This flippin' tail makes my butt look _huge_!"

"No, _really_?" A medium-sized fluorescent fish glided up to her, huffing exasperatedly. Lucy gave a high-pitched yelp and slowly turned her head to face the fish. "You just noticed?" He looked at her with disdain and made an odd sort of noise that she guessed was the fish equivalent of a snort.

Shocked, Lucy didn't even register the insult, instead jabbing a finger at the fish and trembling. "Y-You just spoke to me! A f-fish just _spoke_ to me!" Sure, this stuff was in all the fairy tales (and quite frankly, she shouldn't have been surprised to see it happen now), but to see it was just so… "_So surreal,_" Lucy breathed out.

"Blondie," the fish snorted, "you've been living in this palace for eighteen years, _six of which I have been your attendant_, and you're still as dumb as a-"

Lucy twitched.

Several moments later found her humming happily to herself, swimming about the bright, glamorous underwater bedroom as the poor fish (who was buried under a pile of seaweed pillows) gasped out muffled pleas for freedom. It was so much easier to slice through the water with her tail than she would have thought, and the movement was so _effortless_ that she was pretty sure she'd never feel quite the same about walking on land again…

For a moment, she allowed herself to be lost in the feeling of the warm, caressing water on her skin; for a split second Natsu, magical books, and the mystery of which fairy tale she was imprisoned within were the farthest things from her mind. (Okay, maybe less than that, because heaven knew Natsu was _always_ first and foremost in that godforsaken mind of hers.)

The blonde girl grew agitated as the thought of pink-haired fire-breathing morons and twisted fairy tales grew more and more pressing, until finally she turned with a flick of her tail (oh, it was _so fun_!) and pulled a pillow away from the large stack that was piled in the corner of the room. With a gasp of relief, the neon-colored fish burst free and shot Lucy an irritated glance.

"Sorry," she apologized halfheartedly (but honestly, anyone who made dumb-blonde jokes was just… _ugh!_). "I apologize for my behavior. Um…" She fidgeted for a moment.

The fish cleared his throat haughtily, his scales flashing in the dim glow of the luminous jellyfish floating about in the room. "_Princess_," he said scathingly, "your father has ordered you to his throne room at once."

"Why?" Lucy blinked, and then frowned. Whenever her father had called her to his office back at home, it had always been a… rather _unpleasant_ experience… to say the least. She had always left the large room to crouch in the harsh artificial lights of the too-big hallway, on the verge of tears or already sobbing her young heart out.

The fish coughed to regain her attention and Lucy shook off the depressing memory. "As you know, the annual Spring Concert is coming up. Your father, his Serene Highness, wishes to discuss something with you."

Lucy bit her lip, having already guessed that this tale was the aptly named _Little Mermaid_, and struggled to recall any details from the fairy tale that could help fill her in on what might lay ahead. The overwhelming colors and abrupt change of atmosphere left her mind woozy (it wasn't every day you turned into a mermaid, after all… but then again, she _had_ taken out Ultear with a _frying pan _not too long ago), and she groaned, finding herself unable to remember a single useful thing.

The fish coughed again. "Don't just float there with that vague expression on your silly face, go to your father at once." Lips pursed, Lucy shot him one last dirty look before swimming from the room.

By now she should have already gotten used to the disorienting feeling she had when shifting worlds, but as she swam through over-grown coral halls so narrow that the branches almost scraped her bare arms (she thankful all the while for the seashells that covered her _assets_), her head pounded with the beginnings of a headache that could (probably) only be remedied by Natsu's presence.

The halls of the underwater palace were a wondrous thing- unbound by the same restrictions that came with land and gravity, the coral and algae-covered halls wound this way and that, not just left and right, but also up and down.

A bright light was shining ahead of her, and she held up a hand in a measly attempt to shield her eyes. "I see the light," she grumbled half heartedly, and then mentally chided herself for her downtrodden attitude. "What would Natsu think if he saw me like this?"

"I'd think you look pretty damn funny as a fish," a familiar voice cackled.

Lucy halted in her ascent, her heart pounding at the sound of _his_ voice. Her face suddenly felt rather warm… and what was she doing going towards some insanely bright light in the middle of some coral-reef-like-hallway, anyway? She was supposed to be looking for Natsu! Lucy's heart sped up even more and she felt ready to either whack him across the face or throw her arms around him, she wasn't sure which. She turned-

-only to see Happy with the most peculiar-looking fish tail protruding from his rear. His mouth hung open, and wide eyes were staring hungrily at her own tail, moving back and forth with every whip of her tail. If it wasn't for the fact that they were underwater, there probably would have been drool dripping from his mouth. He had retained his cat ears in this form; they twitched excitedly on his head. It was such a comical sight she almost doubled over from laughing.

"Aye! Princess!" Happy beamed. "How do you like my impression of an idiot?"

"Oh, don't be mean," she said (although Happy's impression was quite accurate indeed). "Um… Happy…?"

"Aye," Happy murmured, staring at her tail again. "Princess, you're sure looking just as yummy as ever…"

Lucy chuckled nervously and used her tail to nudge him away. "What's with that? Aren't you a fish too? You don't want to eat yourself do you…?"

At this, Happy's gaze finally moved up from the blonde's emerald tail to her face, looking almost hurt. "Lucy, don't be mean! I'm a _cat_fish, how many times do I have to tell you that? A _catfish! _I'm not a fish!"

She stifled a laugh at his decidedly Happy-like logic and decided to let the matter be (although no matter _how_ she looked at it, Happy was a fish through and through, from cat-ears to… dorsal fin, though just what kind of fish he was, she wasn't really sure), trying not to show her disappointment that it had been Happy and not Natsu she had heard.

"Oh, yeah, Princess," Happy cocked his head to the side and tapped her tail with his fin. "You're supposed to be going to the throne room, right? Tomorrow's July 1st… your birthday, right?"

Lucy felt her smile falter.

"You're going the wrong way, silly Lucy! Have you forgotten your own home?"

She forced her head to nod back mechanically. If Happy noticed her strange response, he didn't comment on it. "Here, down this hallway…"

July 1st, and only seven fairy tales in. One day each for Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel, three weeks in Beauty and the Beast, and three and a half in Sinbad. The Princess and the Pea had been a respite, being much shorter than the previous two tales.

Several weeks, gone just like that. Caught in the excitement of the whirlwind of fairy tales, Lucy found herself wondering about her rent, her keys, her possessions…

…her _real_ guild mates and friends- who were no doubt worried to death.

She trailed after Happy, an unsettling feeling itching in her heart despite the fact that it was her birthday.

* * *

><p>Natsu stepped out of bed, stretching his arms over his head and letting out a sigh of relief as the headache from the pain that was moving onto new chapters slowly ebbed away. He looked down…<p>

…and screamed a girly, high-pitched scream because he was wearing a pink, frilly, lacy _dress_.

With a bodice.

* * *

><p>"Princess," a deep baritone rang throughout the chamber, sending a small shudder up Lucy's spine as she entered.<p>

"Father," she answered quietly, her eyes flitting up to meet his.

She was greeted by a _huge_ beard, fluffy and white in all its glory, that blocked her father's face from sight. The beard rustled and seemed to give a little _swish_ in the water, and she was suddenly seeing Makarov's face, beaming down at her with a twinkle in his eye.

Lucy let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and smiled. Figured. She always had way too much tension when things involved her real father anyway, and although the last time she'd seen him in the book he'd been warm and kind, there was always the niggling fear in her heart that he'd be the man from her nightmares whom she still had yet to make peace with.

She found herself giggling, though, when she realized that the large, intimidating torso that she'd been expecting on the king turned out to be Makarov's usual spindly chest, and that the beard itself was twice his size, floating about his person merrily as if it had a mind of its own.

"Lucy, Lucy, Lucy," Makarov tutted affectionately. "You're missing rehearsal again. Did you sleep in?"

"A little," she admitted, choking back a squeak that threatened to escape when his beard entangled itself with his limbs. "Killer headache." _Not a lie_.

He fixed her with an amused look. "You'd better get to it. Macao will kill me if you're late again." A pause, a smirk. "Well, he can _try_." The old man fingered a trident that seemed much too large for him and leaned against the throne, snickering to himself.

Lucy rolled her eyes as Makarov dismissed her, waving her towards one of the numerous corridors that branched from the throne room. Happy followed faithfully, trailing after her and pausing to leer at every small fish that passed by them as they progressed.

"_LUCY!_"

The blonde shrieked as she was caught in a whirlwind of limbs and squeals, nearly smashing into the colonies of barnacles that lined the walls.

"Lussheee! I misshed yewww," Wendy whimpered into her chest, her words muffled. Lucy laughed in response and hugged the enthusiastic girl, suddenly aware of the presence of other mermaids.

"Lisanna," her gaze flitted from one face to another. "Levy! Mira, Juvia, Cana-"

"You're _laaaateee_, sis," Cana drawled lazily, circling around Lucy and pinching her right cheek, pulling until Lucy whimpered and batted lightly at her hand. "Rehearsal's over and the concert's tonight."

_Sis?_ Lucy began to stammer out several half-hearted excuses, feeling a peculiar warmth wash over her as Cana ignored her, whining about how the concert room didn't have a storage of booze (and how would that work underwater anyway?). Years of being an only child, and suddenly she had six sisters. Her lips curved upwards, and she felt abruptly giddy. The feeling was quickly interrupted by a prickling feeling at the back of her head, as if she were being watched. She turned and was greeted by Juvia, her eyes narrowed into furious slits and her face flushed and _much too close_, their noses almost touching.

"J-Juvia?" Lucy laughed nervously. Juvia's lower lip pushed up exaggeratedly into a comical pout and her hands shot forward to grip Lucy's shoulders. Wendy squeaked and went to hide behind Cana, who was ransacking the room as if there might be inconspicuous bottles of alcohol hiding in the large, oddly-shaped shells that looked distinctly like tubas.

"You were with _Gray_, weren't you?" Juvia wailed, her tail thrashing behind her. "Juvia _knows_ that's why you were late!"

Lisanna and Mirajane giggled conspiratorially from behind Lucy, who whirled on them disbelievingly as Juvia flailed. "What in the world did you _say_ to her?"

"Nothing," Lisanna smiled innocently, batting her long eyelashes. "But as the palace guards came in for their lunch break, we stopped to talk with Gray, and he noticed how you were always out in the gardens, looking towards the surface, and when Juvia heard him say your name-"

"-we couldn't stop her," Mirajane finished, shrugging happily and looking as if stopping Juvia was the last thing that would ever cross her mind. "But y'know, I do think you and Gray would make a cute couple-"

This sent Juvia into another round of hysterics, and Lucy tried to comfort her, but to no avail. (_"Juvia thought sisters weren't supposed to go behind each others' backs! Juvia can just see it- you approaching Gray as he's on duty, distracting him when you have no right to be doing ANYTHING of the sort because his heart belongs to JUVIA-"_)

"So, if we're not gonna rehearse…" Lucy backed away from Juvia, whose glare had become even more heated, and pleadingly glanced at Lisanna.

The girl shrugged, her cropped white hair floating upward with the small movement. "You could go out to the gardens, I guess, like you always do. Everyone knows that you don't really need to rehearse."

"Daddy would say otherwise, he thinks practice makes perfect," Wendy giggled, finally deeming it safe to come out from behind Cana (who had indeed found a beer bottle tucked inside a French horn). "But I think you're already the bestest, most perfectest singer out of all of us!" She smiled so brightly it was almost blinding; Lucy melted a little on the inside (although the Sleeping Beauty chapter had recently reminded her of exactly how 'bestest' she was).

It was at this time Cana decided to hook an arm through one of Lucy's, grinning lazily as she tugged her blonde 'sister' towards a large, ornate door, its details had been chipped away by time but it was still magnificent nonetheless. With the hand that wasn't clutching the beer bottle, Cana waved grandly at the door with mock enthusiasm, and it creaked open.

"I'll join you in drooling over the palace guards," Cana waggled her eyebrows (Lisanna and Mirajane burst into another fit of giggles as Juvia screeched at the implication; Wendy meekly attempted to placate her, unsure of what to say.)

"Th-that's not it at all," Lucy groaned and then decided that convincing her new sisters was a lost cause, pushing past the doors and into the palace gardens with a smug Cana in tow.

* * *

><p>There were few things that Natsu disliked. One of those few things was-of course-being separated from Lucy, his best friend and, and, and…whatever the hell she had become after the past few chapters in this damned book. Thinking about it gave him something akin to a headache. Oh, and he disliked thinking too. Natsu, being Natsu, also despised transportation (OH GOD, TRANSPORTATION), Gray, shaved ice, losing, seeing his friends in pain, and Laxus.<p>

However, today he would be able to add yet another thing to his list of _stuff-to-be-extremely-pissy-about_: pink, frilly dresses.

The odd thing was, really, that when he opened his mouth to scream, it had been a high-pitched, keening sort of noise (as Elfman would say: Not. Manly. At. _ALL_), and to his immense dissatisfaction, his chest felt heavy, as if he were carrying some new burden…

And to Natsu's great surprise, he was.

His first reaction was a prick of curiosity; Natsu plopped back down onto the bed he had woken up in and proceeded to bounce up and down on it (it was a nice bed, really great for bouncing and probably jumping and hitting his head on the ceiling, though he would save the last part for later), not quite enjoying the new sensation, but not quite _disliking_ it either.

His next reaction was to fondle his new breasts.

A rather pretty maid chose this time to come into the room for whatever reason, only to drop the tray of tea she had been carrying, not seeming to notice when the dark liquid sloshed onto the carpet.

"Look!" Natsu beamed. "I have boobs!"

The maid nodded furiously, her head bobbing up and down, her eyes fixated on Natsu's hands that remained latched to his _chest_.

"I'm a _girl_," he continued, awestruck. "I'm a GIRL!"

"Y-you always have been, Princess," the maid stammered out and attempted to clean the mess that she had created, apologizing profusely. Natsu paid her no heed.

"I'm a girl," he repeated once more, "and I'm _hotter_ than Lucy! AND I'm a PRINCESS! Wait 'til she gets a load of _this_!" On the last word Natsu straightened himself and jumped up and down on the bed enthusiastically; his chest happily followed suit.

The maid stared blankly and fell over in a dead faint.

And then it hit him (or her): an overwhelmingly complex mix of feelings so impossible to understand that it could only be _female_: he was in some strange place and he could feel the absence of magical power in his body and he was female and OHMAVISWHATWASHEGOINGTODO? (Briefly, Natsu wondered if this was what Lucy experienced each chapter.)

Yet again, another abrupt wave of something terrifyingly _female_ hit Natsu: genuine concern for someone he had knocked unconscious and didn't know. Slowly, he approached the crumpled maid, and then deciding that he didn't want to lose what he suspected was his last trace of _manliness_, he prodded the maid not-so-gently with his foot.

She stirred after a few good kicks (not kicks, _nudges_, of _course_ he didn't kick her) and sat up, a dazed look in her eyes. Natsu cleared his throat (and cringed, because it was just such a _feminine _clearing of the throat).

"S-so sorry, your highness!" The maid shot up and attempted to straighten herself (but to no avail), and then coughed out, "Um, Her Majesty wishes to see you."

"Her Majesty?" Natsu echoed. She gave him a look that was a mix of confusion, annoyance, and embarrassment.

"Your mother," she said pointedly, and then flushed red. "Ah, please don't tell her that I dropped your daily tea…" She shuffled her feet anxiously. "I really am sorry…"

"It's okay," Natsu rolled his eyes and practically pranced out of the room, daintily lifting his skirts. The maid looked after him, her eyebrows furrowing with confusion.

Moments later, she heard a choked off sound, followed by the light pattering of footsteps turning into heavy thuds. Peeking out and around the door, she saw the Princess walking with a swagger that could only be called masculine and then spitting into a nearby vase as she walked by.

* * *

><p>The palace gardens really were something else.<p>

It was like whole place was alive, bright and dancing in the water; the creatures gave off a magical life as they drifted amongst the sea plants, giving the gardens an ethereal glow. Decorated slopes surrounded the palace and extended down into a broad plateau of sea flowers that ranged from small globes of crimson to petals that seemed to explode in scarlet, drifting ever so slightly in the water and giving the illusion that the gardens themselves were on fire. Overhead, the reflection of the sunset cast a ruby net of light that spread against the surface and melted into the waters.

It was breathtaking- even the expanse of the carefully trimmed Heartphilia estate in its full glory couldn't compare. Lucy was so drawn in by its beauty that she almost didn't notice when Cana shot off, bored with the garden's typical splendor, to gamble with the palace guards (while surreptitiously relieving them of their booze).

Her lips turned upwards in response to the fiery glow that bathed the gardens. Natsu, it was just like Natsu, bright and warm and beautiful and funny and cute- wait, no, _no_. Lucy shook her head. Even if they had been 'engaged' for a grand total of ten minutes in the last chapter, thinking of him romantically was still something that made her feel a weird mixture of giddiness and frustration. Natsu wasn't a _total_ idiot, but she didn't have the guts to make any kind of move that would get through that... _that_…

"Freaking thick, stupid, straightforward, dense skull of his," she muttered, her warm gaze shifting abruptly into an irritable glare that seemed to make the plants shrink back in fear. Feeling an odd sort of satisfaction, she gave out a small snarl, and to her glee, the garden swayed away from her. She smirked, feeling her tail lash back and forth in her own personal little victory until she realized that it wasn't her own fierceness (or ability to take out irritation on garden plants) that had caused the movement- in the distance, someone was singing a beautiful, haunting song, and the plants were swaying in time to the music.

_Magic_, Lucy realized with a start. The plants hadn't just _seemed_ like they were glowing, they were! And if whoever was singing had the ability to make these plants react, then they might possess magic! And if that were the case…

"I might be able to find Natsu," Lucy breathed out, and glanced behind her to make sure that no one was watching her before shooting off into the distance.

As cautious as she usually was, Lucy had considered the possibilities. She clearly did not possess any magic in this tale- its absence produced an uncomfortable squeeze in her chest-but this seemed to be a world in which magic existed. And in this book, finding Natsu and reuniting with him was her priority. Her 'father' and 'sisters', familiar as they were, would probably be against her leaving them in pursuit of… of whatever it was exactly that Natsu happened to be in this tale. She wrinkled her nose. What was the worst that could happen?

However, the closer she got to the melody, the more nervous she felt, especially as the seascape steadily became more and more barren. The lush coral and bright sea life gave way to withered brown plants and rocks. And the source of the chilling voice… A small cave sat nestled in a sea mountain that seemed to stretch upwards for forever- Lucy had to crane her neck to even try and glimpse the peak. Somehow, its size was ominous, sending chills down her spine. Gathering up her courage, she neared the cave entrance.

The inside of the cave was little more than an empty, sinuous tunnel- the second Lucy entered, however, the singing cut off abruptly. Lucy paused, hesitant.

"_Lucyyy_…"

"HOLY-" Lucy's hands flew up to muffle her shriek before it could fully escape, but it was already too late- her screech echoed deep into the tunnel. In her horror, she briefly considered running (or rather, in this case, _swimming_) for her life while screaming at the top of her lungs, but when the image of Natsu flashed into her mind, she froze, torn between fleeing and venturing deeper in.

Natsu, his cheeks flushed with excitement and his smile wide, fangs glinting, _Natsu_, with his eyes glistening in concern for her, _her dear Dragonslayer_…

"_Luuuuccyyyyyyyy…_"

"_Natsu_," she repeated to herself stubbornly and slowly inched farther into the cavern.

There was a light coming from somewhere deep in the tunnel- it flickered against the nooks and crannies of the walls and cast a dark, sinister shadow against her skin. The tunnel was curving inwards upon itself now, and Lucy could almost hear her doubts taking form and whispering around her in the cold water-

"_Boo_."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Lucy screamed, jerking into what she thought was a defensive martial arts pose (even though she wasn't sure any form of physical self-defense would work quite as well underwater) and whirling around to see-

-a petite mer-girl, with flowing blonde hair that was as long as her body, and what seemed to be wings poking out from her head. She grinned happily, and immediately Lucy relaxed, embarrassed that she had been afraid of a little girl with nothing but a bright smile.

"Were… were you the one that was singing?" Lucy asked, smiling back hesitantly. "How did you know my name…?"

The girl simply cocked her head, a small giggle escaping from her upturned lips. Lucy glanced around, taking in her surroundings. There was a black, empty cauldron and shelves upon shelves of bottles and books and random knickknacks. The walls were dotted with large crystals that cast an eerie glow- they must have been what had cast the shadows against the tunnel. She squinted, peering closer at the girl's face. Her eyes were a beautiful emerald green, but the depths did not reflect the light from the crystals.

"My name is Mavis," the girl said suddenly, breaking the silence. "I know your name because, well…" she smirked, giving Lucy a knowing glance. "Never mind. ANYWAY!" She circled Lucy, laughing. "I know you, Lucy~"

_Mavis_… the name struck as familiar, but somehow Lucy's head remained just as clouded as it had in the beginning of the chapter. There was something familiar about this girl, something she just _had_ to know, and yet the book was messing with her head…"Y-you do?"

Mavis gave another curious smile. "I'm _Mavis_," she emphasized. "Of course I do! I know how you got here…" she leered at Lucy. "And I know what you need."

Lucy bit her lip. As far as she knew, the only ones aware of the entire situation were her spirits (who appeared in the tales inconsistently), Natsu, and herself. The celestial spirits were only knowledgeable because they existed in multiple realms. Could that mean that Mavis was somehow…?

"So!" Mavis cut off Lucy's train of thought. "Let's get on with it, then!"

"G-get on with w-what, exactly…?" Lucy stammered nervously.

"The ritual, of course!" Mavis sang out, sweeping several bottles off one of the shelves and settling herself on it, placing her hands delicately over her tail and bouncing up and down enthusiastically.

"_What_ ritual?"

The little mer-girl winked. "The one that will help you reunite with your lover, of course!"

"_Lover?_" Lucy spluttered. "What are you _talking-_"

"Now, now. Don't argue with me. I know everything," Mavis tutted, shaking her head mockingly. "And I'm not going to be talking."

Rounding her pink lips, Mavis began to sing again.

The second she opened her mouth, a soft light seemed to float from her throat, enveloping Mavis in a gentle light and drifting down towards Lucy, seeking, and wrapping her in warmth. All at once, the tension in Lucy's body left her, and she felt almost giddy and free, as if her entire body had become a ton lighter. Her toes began to tingle, and the feeling crept up, covering her legs, and… and…

Her eyelids fluttering, Lucy closed her eyes and blacked out.

Snickering, Mavis plucked a book off the shelf and began to read aloud to herself.

"It was very late; yet the little mermaid could not take her eyes from the beautiful prince, and oh, how handsome the young prince looked while the music resounded through the clear night air…"

* * *

><p>Natsu turned a corner and marched passed several attendants huffily, storming into the throne room. This whole <em>being a girl<em> business was a lot worse than he'd thought it would be. His heavy breasts kept threatening to bounce out of his low-cut dress, and their weight was seriously killing his back. And as if that weren't enough, his muscles were gone, and with his muscles, his _strength_. This entire body was too weak for him! And for some odd reason, his irritation was increased tenfold by just being female. It was as if everything was just _that_ much more annoying. The birds chirping merrily outside were annoying. The enthusiastic attendants were annoying. The absence of his magic was annoying, and _Lucy not being with him _was EXTREMELYannoying.

"Look at your mother when you stand in her presence," a woman's voice commanded sternly, and feeling annoyance well up again, Natsu looked up, ready to snap, when he saw…

"Erza?" He stammered out, his voice ridiculously high and squeaky. He cursed inwardly. "You're my _mom?_"

"Damn straight I am," Erza rolled her eyes and stood, brushing off her dress, which was rather simple compared to his own and yet still managed to seem gaudy. Next to her sat Jellal, who was staring down at his lap, engrossed in a heavy-looking bound book with pages and bookmarks sticking out every which way. Natsu stared at the ornate crown that adorned his blue hair, the pieces connecting.

"Jellal is my _DAD_?"

"Did you hit your head falling out of bed this morning?" Jellal asked, quirking an eyebrow. His eyes didn't leave his book. A moment passed, and then: "Again?"

"Maybe another good knock will fix it," Erza said calmly, picking up a heavy sword that lay against her chair and brandishing it lightly, as if it were no more than a twig. Natsu grinned, cracking his knuckles.

"That a challenge? You're _on_, Erza!"

Several moments later found Natsu with a torn dress, bloody and bruised on the floor. Not even having broken a sweat, Erza calmly sheathed her sword and returned it to its place beside the throne. For the first time, Jellal looked up, gazing steadily at Natsu. Natsu blew a raspberry.

"Honey, you go on and have breakfast," Jellal sighed dismissively. "You should know better than to try and go against your mom by now."

"Don't call me _honey_," Natsu hissed in horror, cringing (JELLAL, calling him HONEY! Oh, the HORROR) at the same time Erza intoned, "Not yet, I have to talk to her about something."

"What is it?" He asked, wincing yet again at how feminine his voice sounded. And now his breasts were sore. Did _Lucy_ ever have these problems, being irritated with herself? After all, her voice _was _pretty high pitched, and her breasts _were_ kind of gigantic. Come to think of it, he much preferred it when Lucy was the one with the voice and the breasts. In fact, he _liked_ her voice and breasts. Her voice was appropriately pretty for a girl, and her breasts were bouncy and nice, and _wait, what._

"_I don't like Lucy like that!_" Natsu shouted, his annoyance peaking, and then realized that he had just cut off Erza mid-sentence. He chuckled nervously; she regarded him, her gaze steely.

"Well, I'm glad that you dislike whoever this _Lucy_ is, because as a Princess, you are due to be married quite soon."

"AGAIN?" Natsu groaned, smashing his head against the marbled floor (and subsequently putting cracks in the tiles).

Erza blinked. "What?"

"I'm tired of being married off," Natsu raged, smashing his fists against the floor in a rather unladylike manner (briefly, he recalled Lucy once whining about OMS, or QRS, or something like that whenever she was particularly moody…) "And now I'm a GIRL?"

"You've always been a girl," Jellal remarked.

"And my boobs are _huge_!" Natsu continued to wail, easily feeling the most down he had in a long time.

Jellal coughed awkwardly. "You… can thank your mom for that."

"Ah. Well." Erza said indifferently, crossing her arms over her bosom and turning away, pretending her face wasn't a light pink.

There was a long silence as Jellal and Erza gazed at each other, mouths slightly parted but silent. Jellal stared intently, a hand reaching out slowly-

"_Get a room_," Natsu snarled into the floor, not moving from his spot on the ground. Jellal coughed awkwardly and Erza blushed even deeper, eyeing the sword by the throne, fidgeting.

"_As I was saying_," she continued, "Prince Gray of the kingdom next door with whom we have long been at war with has been betrothed to you as a part of our peace treaty."

Pause. Then:

"Oh, _HELLLLL_ no," Natsu shrieked. "I am NOT marrying Gray! That is just… so freakin' _WRONG_." He gagged, his new feminine voice taking up the sound to a cringe-worthy pitch. He staggered to his feet and stormed out of the room, intent on leaving the palace.

Erza looked at Jellal, who shrugged, as if to say, _teenage girls will be teenage girls_.

"So…" she raised an eyebrow. "How 'bout that room?"

Jellal choked on his own spit.

* * *

><p>Natsu took off his ornate slippers (he was wearing <em>slippers<em>, for goodness' sake), fervently wishing he could burn them to a crisp. He settled for throwing them off the cliffs near the palace, watching them tumble down and into the ocean water below.

Where the hell was Lucy? He scowled, feeling his brow crease. Grasping his dress, he tore the skirts up to the bodice, and settled into a full sprint towards the beach, his legs finally able to move freely.

He was going to get married to _Gray_, he had no idea where Lucy was nor what fairy tale he was in, and his _chest_ was jiggling with every step! He kicked the sand with more force than necessary with each stride. Being a girl wasn't exactly easy, and Natsu found himself with a little more respect for the blonde stellar spirit mage that occupied his thoughts constantly.

And what was the big deal with that anyway? For the past few weeks, Lucy had been dominant in his head. Even Igneel had been pushed aside momentarily in favor of the blonde girl- the book had messed with his priorities. And not just his priorities…

"More like my entire head," Natsu growled, fingering his longer pink locks that suddenly seemed a lot shinier and smoother. Lucy had become more… _Lucy_. He couldn't quite place his finger on it. It was like there was something there in his chest that he knew about, and yet he couldn't remember exactly what it was. Something was blocking it, blocking _him_ from realization.

"Stupid Lucy with her stupid blonde hair and her stupid long legs and…"

Suddenly, he tripped over a person with blonde hair and long legs.

Stumbling and flailing before regaining his balance, he whirled around and saw, much to his amazement, a naked man.

Although normally it wouldn't even fluster him to see a naked man, somehow Natsu could feel his face heating up (curse his new female body with his new female mind!), and he coughed awkwardly, whirling around. "A-are you okay?" He asked loudly.

No response.

"ARE YOU OKAY?" He asked again loudly, and this time he was awarded with a soft, low moan that sent shudders down his spine. What was wrong with him? He scowled when he heard the stranger shifting on the sand and turned to give the man a piece of his mind.

However, nothing came out of his mouth- he was stopped short by the man's beautiful chocolate eyes, tinted hazel, glinting, and… _wait…_

"Lucy?" He squeaked, his voice cracking and shooting up several octaves.

* * *

><p>"Ughh… <em>Natsu<em>?" Lucy groaned, rubbing her head and then freezing. Her voice… Her _voice was deep_! She blinked rapidly several times and then gestured wildly at Natsu.

"You're- is that- are you- _are you a girl?_" She babbled.

Natsu bristled, and Lucy found his annoyed face… _cute_. At least, she did until he growled in a soft voice, "Yeah, and you're _naked_."

"I'm _NAKED_!" Lucy whimpered (but because of her voice, it came out more like a guttural grunt), instinctively covering her chest before realizing it was completely flat (and much to her immense satisfaction, broad and muscular). "Wait a sec…" she peered at Natsu, whose pout curved into a slight smirk. "Your chest- it's _bigger_ than mine was!"

"Maybe," Natsu said in a sing-song voice, squeezing his arms together against his chest and letting it bounce. "Maybe not. I mean, c'mon, at least your…" He glanced down at her lap and leered suggestively, although a blush was definitely prominent on his heart-shaped face. "I mean, yours might be a _tinyyy_ bigger than mine was-"

Lucy punched his gut (while noting his small waist and voluptuous curves with a careful eye, unable to help it) and snarled. "If you're going to be a girl you could try being a little more _sensitive_."

"And if _you're_ going to be a man, you could try being a little _less_ sensitive!" Natsu pursed his lips, all too aware that he was, in fact, acting a _lot_ more sensitive than usual. Lucy shifted (Natsu glimpsed a six-pack that rivaled his own original body's and stubbornly pretended that he saw nothing) and seemed to consider.

"You're right. And I do need some cover up…" Lucy grinned toothily. Natsu felt momentarily faint at the sight (and wondered what the heck was wrong with him, because he was obviously having some serious issues).

Or at least he did, until Lucy tore off the bottom couple feet of his pink dress.

"Hey!" Natsu protested and immediately clamped his mouth shut, angry with himself for succumbing to the femininity the book was casting onto him.

Lucy tied the fabric around her waist so that it covered her _unsavory _parts without looking down (she hadn't even seen that kind of thing on Earthland yet, excluding Gray, but hey, Gray was _Gray_ so he didn't count). What exactly had Mavis done to her? Yeah, she was a guy now instead of a girl (and much to her satisfaction, she was a head taller than Natsu), but it was strange that Mavis somehow knew that Natsu would be a girl and that they were supposed to be…

"L-l-lov… _lovers_," Lucy choked out in a strangled voice as she tied the knot around her waist.

"Hey, hey, _heyy_, Lucy," Natsu poked her several times. She sighed lowly. At the very least, Natsu was still _Natsu_, even if he was being more feminine than usual. "What fairy tale are we in?"

"You still haven't figured it out?" Lucy rolled her eyes, getting up from her seated position and reaching out a hand to help Natsu up. He refused her hand, stubbornly standing up himself. "We're in The Little Mermaid."

Natsu stared at her (Lucy noted that his eyes seemed a lot rounder, his eyelashes longer and his-) and shook his head several times, his long pink hair shaking about his shoulders. "I haven't seen any mermaids, though…"

Lucy opened her mouth to explain, paused, and then decided against it. "It's… a long story. Just trust me."

"Of course I trust you!" Natsu beamed. "You're Lucy, why would you lie to me? I'm just jealous that you got to see mermaids. What do they look like? Do they smell?" He paused. "Do you think they taste good?"

The stellar spirit mage shook her head (her hair was short and it was just all so _strange_) and laughed, marveling in how deep her voice was now. "I wouldn't know, I was kind of a mermaid myself…"

Natsu's face fell a bit, obviously disappointed, but his smile returned quickly after a sly glance at her face. "Let's go back to the castle," he said abruptly, "I have so much to show you!"

"Castle?" Lucy murmured, and glanced at his elegant dress. She should've figured, really (it wasn't exactly every day you saw Natsu Dragneel in a dress). "You're a Princess aren't you?"

"And you're a mermaid, aren't you?" He asked with a toothy smile, grabbing Lucy's hand and dragging her back up the beach and towards the cliff path. "C'mon, let's go tell Erza I don't have to get married to Gray!"

"Married to _Gray_?" Lucy blanched (and inwardly marveled that she could ever feel a twinge of jealousy for _Gray_ of all people). "Wait, why Erza?"

"Oh yeah," Natsu turned mid-step. "Erza's my mom."

A pause. Silence.

"Wait, ERZA'S YOUR _MOM_?"

* * *

><p>Deep under the sea in the very same cavern that held a certain Lucy Heartphilia just hours ago, Mavis Vermilion flipped to the last page, her gaze knowing as she murmured the last lines of the fateful tale.<p>

"_And the little mermaid, eyes already glazing, looked once more at the Prince, hurled herself over the bulwarks into the sea, and felt her body dissolve in foam..."_

* * *

><p>AN: _**Please take the time to leave feedback**__. _It is always my lovely readers that are my motivation to continue the story, and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate every single comment, be it criticism or compliment.

And as usual, special thanks to my beloved _songstar13_, who is absolutely amazing in every single way possible and continues to put up with my writing while keeping up the most positive attitude I've ever seen. I LOVE YOU!


	10. Chapter Seven:The Little Mermaid Part II

A/N: YAYYY IT'S FINALLY FINISHED! I actually have a legit excuse for not posting this chapter before now, though: I was on vacation, and then came back and had to move. So there. No one can be mad at me.

* * *

><p>Gray was in quite a predicament.<p>

"SIR GRAAYYYYYYY~!"

Yes. A predicament indeed.

See, it wasn't every day a palace guard such as himself was chased down by a lovesick Princess. In all honesty, it wasn't all _that_ bad, seeing as how the Princess was _hot_ despite her atypicala blue hair and her slightly-too-ample bosom. Still, it was scary as _heck_ that there was a practically rabid girl chasing him down. If she would just calm down and give him the chance to slow down and take it all _in_…

"GRAAYYYYY, COME BACKK!"

On second thought…

Gray, in his panic, didn't notice the ominous look of the mountain he was steadily approaching; rather, the darkness of the cave was inviting compared to… to...

He glanced behind him. Juvia was steadily gaining on him. Without really thinking, he plunged into the cave.

His hopes of being lost in a labyrinth of tunnels were quickly dashed when he found that the cave was actually a single tunnel curving inwards upon itself. Gray glanced nervously behind him, aware that Juvia could be rounding the corner any second. Turning around, he slowly floated backwards deeper into the cave, his eyes wide open and his pulse pounding…

"Hello there, Gray."

He froze.

Slowly, Gray turned to see a small mer-child with large, inquisitive eyes and long, pale hair that floated down, almost ethereal, down her back. He let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding and straightened his back.

"Are you… lost?" He glanced down at her. She was really quite small in stature, nothing intimidating about her at all. Then he frowned. "Ah… how did you know my name?'

"That's not the matter at hand here," the girl said, waving him off and turning towards one of the large shelves that lined the cavern walls. "What _is_ the matter at hand here is the fact that _I'm _bored, and you…" She turned to smile coyly at him as she snatched a bottle off the shelf. "You could use my help."

"Help…?" Gray eyed the bottle. Was it just him, or was it… _glowing_? "I… I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, I think you do," her smirk grew into an almost sadistic smile, her eyes narrowed and glinting with excitement. "And I knew this would happen. Which is why I sent word to the King and Queen of the nearby Upper Realm."

"The Upper Realms?" Gray's eyes narrowed, and his hands twitched, fervently wishing that he had his spear with him, or something, _anything_… the Upper Realms were a taboo topic in the Underwater Kingdom. "What does a child like you know about the Upper Realms?"

"More than you," the girl scoffed. "And please, don't try to act pretentious."

"_What_-_"_ Gray gave a start, but was cut off by the dangerously near sound of Juvia calling his name. The sound bounced about the walls of the cavern; Mavis smiled knowingly at Gray, who gulped.

"Oh, and I need you to pass something along for me, as a little favor in return…"

Moments later, Juvia swam into the dimly-lit cavern, only to find nothing but a queer disarray of items upon several shelves and a small mer-girl surrounded by an eerie glow that was quickly fading.

"Excuse me," she said gently, trying to hide the disappointment on her face. "But, have you seen a handsome, dark-haired, tall, _dreamy_ guard by chance?"

"Oh, I have," the girl chirped happily. Her eyes shone mysteriously; her tone was enigmatic.

Juvia felt a sudden wave of unease. "You wouldn't happen to know what happened to him, would you?"

"I do," the peculiar little girl sang out just as easily, giving Juvia a satisfied grin. "He went off to run an errand for me."

* * *

><p>Nothing had ever been harder for Lucy to accept than the fact that, in this world, Natsu's mother was Erza Scarlet.<p>

Actually, that wasn't quite accurate because Natsu's _father_ in this world was Jellal Fernandes (which was _almost_ equally unbelievable), and therefore, Natsu's mother was Erza _F__ernandes_. And really, that minor change didn't make things any easier to accept because Erza barely looked any older than her (though grudgingly, Lucy had to admit that Erza's _assets_ were a lot more mature).

"_C'monn_," Natsu was whining, his voice breaking into Lucy's thoughts. "I _really_ don't want to get married to Gray." He grabbed her arm and tugged on it.

Lucy blinked and looked at Natsu and his adorably large puppy dog eyes. He fluttered his long eyelashes for a good measure, taking advantage of his newfound cuteness. Lucy scoffed. "Don't think you can use that trick on me, I _invented_- wait, what?" She stopped herself mid-sentence (at the same time shifting the cloth around her waist that was much too short so that it covered her lower body properly). "What do I have to do with you not having to marry _Gray_?" (Here, Lucy decided to take back her earlier thought: Gray marrying Natsu was _way _weirder than Erza being Natsu's mother.)

He looked at her in shock, his round lips parted in a delicate _O_ and his eyes wide. She bit down on her lower lip, trying to fight back the barrage of thoughts that had suddenly begun to torment her: did Natsu really… think of her like _that_?

No.

No, she wouldn't allow herself to even _hope_-!

"I mean," Natsu spoke again, making a bizarre face, "we need to get married to escape this chapter, right?"

Lucy coughed awkwardly, wrinkling her nose at the sudden painful stab in her chest. "I… I don't know, to be honest. There are a lot of versions of this tale."

"Oh. Well then." Natsu turned around, his feet shuffling in the sand, his steps somehow more sluggish than usual. Lucy, her gaze averted to the quiet waves lapping at the beach as she trailed behind him, didn't notice.

There was another moment of awkward silence (which was _extremely_ uncharacteristic of Natsu, but Lucy was a bit preoccupied with her own thoughts to really think much of it) before Natsu's pace picked up and he began dragging her by her wrist. It was a strange sensation- his fingers were soft and slender and had trouble wrapping around Lucy's larger and muscular forearm. Lucy let out a deep chuckle, all the while marveling at the alien change in voice. Mavis was really one crazy girl…

Lucy glanced at Natsu's torn dress as it rode up her legs and revealed his (her) slender, tan thighs. She quickly looked away, feeling an uncanny sensation deep in her belly.

Yup. Mavis was definitely _insane_.

* * *

><p>What the hell was <em>wrong<em> with him?!

A moment's consideration was all it took- it was definitely the boobs. Natsu glared irritably at his bouncing chest as he and the now-ridiculously-buff Lucy hiked back up the cliff path towards the castle. His chest was squeezing uncomfortably, and yet it wasn't in an unpleasant way. His heartbeat was picking up, although Natsu couldn't tell if it was from the effort spent going back up the cliff or if it was something else. His small fingers clenched tighter around Lucy's wrist.

Aggravatingly enough, his new feminine mind decided to remind him of several moments from past chapters, the most prominent ones being the moment his moment of confidence from the last chapter when he had been confident about marrying Lucy, the time he had licked her face clean of jam and how warm and flushed her cheeks had been and…

…the near-kiss with Lucy last chapter.

Come to think of it, why had he been so _ready_ to kiss her? That wasn't normal, was it? Quite frankly, Natsu would have done it if it were a mission, but a _kiss_… wasn't Lucy always saying stuff about how first kisses were something special and were to be reserved for only people who were special?

But Lucy _was_ special to him. So why was he feeling so weird?

Natsu glanced at his hand encircling Lucy's wrist and then felt that weird twisting feeling in his chest again. Quickly, he dragged Lucy up the last couple of steps of the path and released her.

"Natsu? Are you okay?"

He looked at her. As a man, Lucy had a particularly strong face. She had the same expressive eyes, and yet something was different about her. It wasn't just the cropped hair or the broad chest, and it wasn't the deep voice either. Something…

His chest thumped.

Natsu scowled, attempting to shake away those thoughts. After all, it was probably just the change of gender. Something about being a girl was obviously messing with his head, more so than the spell of the book itself usually did. "C'mon, let's go see Erza."

* * *

><p>Gray woke up with a pounding headache and a constricting tightness around his chest. There was a loud bump, and then another…<p>

He sat up. Was he _moving_? Gray gave the space around him an incredulous eye; he was surrounded every which way by pillows and cushions, each of them varying shades of pink. Enclosed, small… it reminded him of one of the royal sea carriages except…

He blinked. Was this a _land_ carriage? So they had those, too?

Gray excitedly pushed aside a fuchsia curtain to peer outside. Despite all the warnings from King Makarov and Sergeant Laxus about the Upper Realms, the scenery was breathtaking. Not as beautiful as the vivid colors of the Underwater but a sight to behold nonetheless. There were patches of ligneous brown, straight coral that seemed to erupt everywhere and sprouted green algae from the tips. The ocean was sparkling in the glare of the sun, and Gray found himself staring.

Suddenly, the carriage came to an abrupt halt, and his chest slammed against the wall of the land-carriage, inches from falling out of the window. He grimaced in pain, suddenly aware of a new sensation…

Gray slowly looked down and screamed.

A high-pitched girly scream.

* * *

><p>"Errzzaaa!" Natsu burst through the dining hall doors.<p>

"Natsu!" Erza sat up from her place at the long oaken table, clearly already annoyed and incensed by the sudden intrusion. "What do you think you're-?"

"Calm down, honey," Jellal soothed Erza, gently tugging her back to seated position, and shot Natsu a disapproving glance as the Princess entered the dining hall. "Natsu, dear, we are in the middle of a very important discussion with the rulers of the neighboring country. As you can see," the navy-haired man gestured at an ornate mirror propped up on the table. It gave off a light shimmer, slightly distorting the air around it. Natsu regarded it with contempt- he hated not having magic. As if being a girl weren't bad enough!

"But this is more important," Natsu whined.

"More important?" Jellal's eyebrows furrowed. "How could it-"

"C'mon out, Lucy!"

Lucy emerged, peeking shyly from around the corner and then clearing her throat and striding forward. She was supposed to be a man, after all. Might as well try to be more confident…

She came to a stop next to Natsu and elbowed him lightly. "_Lucy_?" She hissed through clenched teeth. "_That's hardly a guy's name!"_

He shrugged, his long hair bouncing ever so slightly with the movement. "Oops?"

Jellal and Erza stared. Lucy grinned nervously and extended a hand. It was quite atypical, seeing Jellal like this (or at all), but… "Hello, Your Majesty," she said, trying not to wince when her deep voice threatened to crack. Jellal was still a stranger to her, really, and it was weird to be addressing him with such formality. Still, everyone here but Natsu was a stranger. Even Erza…

She looked at the older red-haired woman, who was regarding Lucy strangely. "Ah… You as well, Your Highness."

"Are you Gray Fullbuster?" Erza demanded, and Lucy realized that the Erza of this world had yet to meet Gray, and that the weird look she was being given was a look of speculation. Lucy suddenly felt very, very conscious of the fact that the only cover she had on was a scrap of pink cloth around her waist that covered her crotch.

"W-what?" Lucy squeaked, cleared her throat, and repeated in a voice deeper than necessary, "No. I'm not. Didn't Natsu just tell you that my name was Lucy?"

"Good." Erza nodded solemnly, ignoring her. "I wouldn't want my daughter to be married to a stripper like you, anyway." Her eyes trailed down Lucy's body. "Although that is a rather nice shade of pink…"

She didn't seem to notice Natsu's ripped dress.

"I-I'm not a stripper! _Gray is_!" Lucy felt her entire body turn hot in embarrassment, and subconsciously moved her hands to cover her private parts. "If you would just _meet_ him, you'd see what I mean!"

"You know Gray Fullbuster?" Erza asked accusingly at the same time Jellal gestured impatiently at the mirror and said, "Well, that's what we're trying to address right now: a meeting between Natsu and Gray."

"That's what we are trying to get at!" An irate woman's voice squawked unpleasantly from the smooth surface. "There _is_ no Gray Fullbuster."

Lucy shot a glare at Natsu, who shrugged; clearly, he was no more informed about this than she was.

"What do you mean there isn't a Gray?" Erza's voice was almost stoically calm now; rather, there was a dangerous undertone. "My husband and I received word from one of your men that you were willing to wed your son to our daughter and finally bring peace to both of our kingdoms. I'm sure that we want peace just as much as you do, but that can't be accomplished if you keep joking around like this!"

"We aren't joking at all," a man's voice sounded from the mirror this time, his voice slightly gnarled by age. "My wife and I… we have no children."

"What do you mean you have no children? The message-!"

"I think you are the ones who jest," the woman's voice in the mirror cut off Erza, abruptly hostile. "I am _infertile_. My husband and I have had no children. The next in line for the throne of our kingdom is my husband's younger brother."

A sudden silence overwhelmed the hall.

Jellal was the first one to recover, murmuring solemnly, "I apologize. We were… unaware."

"Quite," the woman said curtly. "Now, if you'll excuse us…"

The mirror shook violently once, and the ephemeral glow faded away.

Erza turned away, her expression darkening. "Whoever set this up...?"

"Now, now," Jellal's facial expression twisted. "I'm sure that it was a… honest misunderstanding."

"See, it was nothing, and that's why Lucy- ah, _Luce_ here is more important," Natsu insisted. "She- _he _was on the beach, and we became friends and I don't think the poor guy has a place to go." He opened his round, feminine eyes as large as they would go and pushed out his lower lip. "Can I keep him, _pleeaaaaassee_?"

"Hey, I'm not a dog-!"

"No, you can't keep it."

"I'm not an _it-_"

"Pleeeasse, I'll feed it and everything!"

"Hey, I can feed myself perfectly fine!"

"No means no, young lady!"

"Erza," Jellal said sympathetically, looking tenderly at his daughter. "I'm sure that Natsu is old enough to handle this. Aren't you, dear?"

"Don't call me _dear-_"

"Handle _'this'_?!"

"Natsu is _not_ old enough-"

"I can handle taking care of him!" Natsu shrieked shrilly and then slapped his hands over his mouth in embarrassment, his cheeks tinged pink.

Erza shook her head disapprovingly and gave an exasperated sigh. Jellal seemed to take this as a

"Ah… Lucy, you may stay for as long as you need until you find a new home. Let it be known that we are not inhospitable to any of my daughter's-"

"Thank you so much, Jellal!" Lucy beamed as an excited Natsu dragged her out of the dining hall, blabbering about jelly and other random things that seemed to involve frying pans.

Jellal stared after his daughter in shock. "When was the last time we've seen our little Natsu so… _forward_?" He glared at the pink dress that was riding up his daughter's legs and pushed out his lower lip. "They… they grow up so fast."

He stared sullenly at the ground.

Erza straightened herself proudly. "It's about time she started acting more like me."

* * *

><p>"Natsu, where are we <em>going<em>?"

Natsu paused on the stone staircase and gave Lucy a look that screamed _DUHH_. "My room."

Lucy immediately yanked her hand back (totally not missing Natsu's warmth at all). "_What_-?!"

The pink-haired princess ignored the blonde's outbursts, claiming the man's hand again, and slender fingers intertwining with calloused ones. "What's your problem? Jeez!"

Natsu led Lucy through several halls, and she had to admit that she was impressed that Natsu had already memorized the labyrinth that was the large palace despite having only been in it for a single morning. His ability to pick up on anything that might be useful in a battle translated into other things as well, it seemed.

The corners of her lips curved upwards. Natsu was still Natsu, after all, breasts or not.

He was still just as dense, too.

"Natsu, a girl bringing a guy to her room usually implies certain _things_," Lucy hissed, finding herself too weak to wrest herself from Natsu's grip. The contact was doing funny things to her head. His hand was burning in hers.

"It's a bedroom," Natsu deadpanned, plowing ahead and slamming open a door to reveal a large, bright bedchamber complete with deep rouge curtains and a pink bedspread. "You don't really do anything in it besides sleep."

Lucy gave him a look of utter disbelief. "You want me to sleep? It's barely past noon!"

Natsu rounded on her, pushing her deeper in and closing the door. When he turned to face her again, his eyes shone with his characteristic tenacity. "Lucy. Take a nap."

She crossed her arms over her broad chest. "I'm not tired. Why should I-?"

Natsu rolled his eyes and suddenly _tackled_ her, shoving her onto the surprisingly plush bed behind her and pinning her down on there. The air suddenly seemed too hot to breathe in; Lucy's heart hammered frantically in her chest. Really, Natsu had the same effect on her, even in a completely different body…

Natsu's breasts dangled in front of her. She quickly averted her gaze, unsure if she was simply jealous that his breasts in his female form surpassed hers ever so slightly, or if the feeling welling up in her gut was something else…

"Lucy, Lucy, you freak," Natsu chuckled, and Lucy bristled.

"Natsu, what are you _doing_?" she muttered, struggling to get up. In response, the dragonslayer grinned coyly and put his full weight on her.

"I know you better than you think," he insisted, "and you're tired. Take a nap."

"I told you, I'm _not-_" Natsu quickly cut her off, pushing a pillow against her face and muffling her words.

"Just take a nap. C'mon, you know you want to." His grin widened. "Just _doooo_ it, Lucy."

Lucy blinked, about to protest that she really _wasn't tired, so would he please get off of her before her perverted mind got weird ideas out of the situation that was Natsu on top of her_, but then the full scent of the pillow hit.

The pillow smelled faintly like Natsu.

Before Lucy could even wonder how she could even recognize Natsu's scent so acutely, she found her eyes fluttering shut and her words slurring on her tongue. Above her, Natsu let out a sound that almost sounded like an amused _giggle_, but she was suddenly too drowsy to wonder what was so funny. There was something deeply comforting and secure about his scent, with a woodsy smell and the warmth of a hearth; faintly bitter as if like charcoal, but with a hint of wildflowers. And the sheets were just so _comfortable_, fit for a Princess… maybe she was tired, after all. Being transformed from a girl to a boy wasn't something one experienced every day, and anyways, she deserved a bit of a rest after a draining experience like that, didn't she?

The last sounds Lucy registered before drifting off were of the soft bed sheets whispering to each other as Natsu gently tucked her in and the soft click of a closing door.

* * *

><p>Natsu crept out of the room and let out a sigh of relief. He hadn't been sure he could actually get Lucy to fall asleep knowing how <em>weird<em> she was, but sure enough, the fancy-schmancy sheets had won her over. That was good, because all things considered, he wasn't really sure he could've come up with anything else to preoccupy Lucy while he was busy preparing for his surprise. And everyone loved taking naps, right?

At least, he knew _he_ did.

Straightening himself up proudly (and giving himself a mental pat on the back for having adequately distracted Lucy), Natsu marched off to do his business.

Or at least, he was trying to. Natsu stopped short irritably halfway down the hall and gave himself a little smack on his cheek. He was supposed to be focused and had to get the surprise finished before Lucy woke up, so why did his mind decide to keep distracting himself with images of Lucy?

Lucy as a guy was decidedly weirder than Lucy as a girl, Natsu decided promptly. Her trademark chest was gone, instead flat and broad, with a lean build. Not muscular like his normal body, but built nonetheless. Her eyes, the same shade of chocolate-hazel as they always were, had seemed more heavy-lidded than her usual feminine eyes; rather, they had narrowed almost imperceptibly and seemed longer and more piercing. And her hair… the way the short, cropped blonde locks had curled about their ends behind her ears as he pushed her down on his bed, the way Lucy's long, and yet somehow still masculine eyelashes had fluttered shut as she relaxed under his arms was just-

Wait, _what_?

A maid turned the corner just in time to see the Princess of the castle slapping herself over and over, muttering under her breath about things that sounded like '_girls that are too manly_', and '_stupid freakin' magical books making me moody_', and grew even more concerned when the Princess proceeded to bash her head against the nearest available wall.

"Er, Princess…" The maid approached cautiously. She had, after all, learned that this particular royal family could be quite _eccentric_ and that to deal with any one of them during one of their moments meant being extremely careful… "Are you alright?"

Natsu's head snapped up- he hit it against the frame of a particularly sturdy painting in the process, and cursed under his breath. "No!" He growled, clutching his head. "Lucy is a man!"

The maid blinked. "E-excuse me…?"

"And she doesn't have _boobs _anymore!" Natsu wailed and suddenly grabbed the maid's shoulders. She bit down on her lip, wondering if approaching the Princess had been a good idea. Natsu shook her with shaky hands. "And she hasn't tried to seduce anyone _once_ for a freakin' price reduction or anything! Do you know why? Cuz she's a _man_! What the hell is this?"

"I-I don't know? the maid tried. The Princess glared at her for a long moment, and then sighed and released the maid, who rubbed her shoulders warily.

"Okay, I'm done now," the girl sighed and looked down at her dress. "Wait."

The maid gasped in horror as the girl in front of her proceeded to rip her expensive silken dress up to her hips on both sides so that it hung loosely in front and behind her. "Okay. Now I can actually walk without cramping."

The maid gaped.

"Anyway!" Natsu smiled brightly, patting the maid reassuringly. "I need your help with something!"

"Uhh," she tried, her mouth opening and closing like a fish's might out of water.

"I want you to prepare me a _lot_ of candles," the Princess spoke promptly, starting to stride down the hall and not glancing back to see if the maid was following. The maid scurried after her.

"C-candles?"

"Yeah, candles."

"Y-yes, Princess. But may I inquire as to-"

"No, I'm not telling you why. But make sure you prepare a lot of them. Really pretty ones, too," Natsu said, gesturing pointlessly. "Oh, and… you'll probably have to give me some matches."

Natsu, for some reason that the maid could not comprehend, looked incredibly sulky having to ask for matches.

Another servant approached, this time a butler that seemed slightly harried. "Princess Natsu? Your parents request your presence in the dining hall."

"Again?" Natsu scowled, crossing his arms (with some difficulty) over his bosom. "I already told you, I'm not getting married!"

The butler looked askance. "I'm afraid you must obey your summoning, Princess."

Natsu blew out his cheeks and, after giving the maid one last set of instructions, marched down to the spiral staircase that led to the dining hall, pushing past the butler irately.

The maid sighed nostalgically. "I remember when I was that age. Always so moody!"

Beside her, the butler coughed awkwardly. "Margaret, get back to work."

* * *

><p>The first thing Natsu saw entering the hall was a raven-haired beauty with large breasts. The second things he saw were narrowed, droopy eyes on what seemed to be a bruised face.<p>

Naturally, Natsu's first reaction was, "IT'S YOU, YOU ICY BASTARD!"

Jellal and Erza were still seated in the same places as before; however, this time, a distinctly Gray-looking girl was sitting next to Erza. Jellal stared at Natsu's dress, ripped all the way to the girl's hips, and fumbled wordlessly, mouth agape.

"What was that?" Gray snarled, twitching in his seat.

Erza cleared her throat ominously; the two immediately settled down. "Natsu, this is… Gray Fullbuster."

Jellal coughed. "Not… quite what we expected."

Natsu snickered. "What the hell? I thought Gray was supposed to be a guy! Instead Gray has this stupid high-pitched voice and these boobs… Haha! And what's with the stupid cuts and bruises on your face? Did you trip and fall on your dumb-looking face?"

"You idiot, you have a high-pitched voice and boobs too! And your face is even more dumb-looking!"

Natsu jutted his chin out and glared pointedly at his chest. "I don't normally have them!"

Jellal and Erza stared at Natsu, befuddled, as Gray shrieked, "Neither do I!"

Natsu whirled on his temporary parents, blowing out his cheeks in a huff. "What's with all this? I thought the other kingdom-thingy didn't have a Gray Fullbuster! And why is he a _girl_? Don't tell me I have to… to…" He trailed off in horror.

"NO!" Gray screeched, voice cracking across several octaves. "I am _NOT_ here to marry you!"

Natsu gestured wordlessly and gaped at Erza, who shrugged. "She's not here to marry you, but for some reason she insists on relaying a message to you. However, she knows nothing of the fake marriage arrangement." She cracked her knuckles, eyes darkening. "I… _asked_."

Natsu and Gray shuddered involuntarily, simultaneously.

"So, get on with it then," the pink-haired Princess mock-yawned. "What's this stupid message?"

Gray clenched his fists. "I have no idea who you think you are, you hothead, but if you keep that up-"

Erza cleared her throat again.

"-I'm going to… give you a great big hug!" Gray finished nervously. Erza smirked her approval. Natsu stared at his feet; Gray fiddled with his fingers. "_Anyway_… someone named Mavis told me to tell you something."

Natsu stilled. _Mavis_? As in the first guild leader, Mavis Vermillion? "What is it?" He asked excitedly. Surely someone as great as Mavis would have something epic, something amazing and awesome to tell him that would make him stronger or cooler or, or-!

"Mavis says not to go through with your little surprise," Gray finished. Natsu drooped.

"That's really stupid," Natsu sulked, and turned to leave. "Is that really it?"

"You don't understand!" Gray's face twisted unpleasantly. "Mavis was _really_ insistent on that. Said something really bad would happen, something you two wouldn't be able to handle. Said someone named… Lucy, I think, would get seriously hurt. "

Natsu stiffened and whirled back on Gray, striding up to the wooden table and slamming his palms on the table. "There is nothing that we can't handle! Lucy is stronger than you think, and she can take care of yourself!"

"I thought Lucy was a guy," Jellal said unhelpfully.

"And even if it were something that she couldn't quite handle herself," Natsu hissed lowly, leaning in with an intimidating leer, "I would be there to make sure that nothing happened to her. You _understand_?"

The former palace guard glowered. "I was only relaying a message. But you're kind of a _bitch_, so I'm out of here." With that, Gray stood and walked from the hall.

Natsu stared after him, still heaving from the effort of his sudden outburst, and felt suddenly overwhelmed with frustration. Whoever this person was, even if they shared a name with Mavis Vermillion, they couldn't possibly know the lengths he was willing to go to so that he could protect Lucy. In fact, they couldn't possibly know anything about either of them!

He would go through with it, anyway. After all, it seemed like an awfully Lucy thing to do, and Natsu had known it was a good idea when he had first thought of it. He wasn't scared of whatever this old guild leader had to say, and if Mavis didn't believe in him and Lucy, then he wouldn't acknowledge Mavis as a true Fairy Tail leader anyway! This was all just _stupid_. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Natsu ignored the confounded looks on his parents' faces, and stalked out of the room.

* * *

><p>Lucy awoke with a yawn, sitting up to stretch her lean arms over her head. Natsu had been right, after all- naps felt deliciously good, and she could always use some relaxation. She felt much more energized now, restored, and-<p>

Lucy caught sight of herself in the large mirror opposite of the bed and stared. Yes, she felt energized, restored, and surprisingly good-looking.

Ah, but first things first, of course. Lucy creaked open the door and waited for a servant to come by. Sure enough, a maid holding several towels was walking briskly by; Lucy called out to her, and several moments later, found herself holding a rather elegant-looking set of clothes. Thanking the maid, she closed the door.

The clothes the maid had fetched were strikingly similar to the clothes Natsu wore on Earthland; cream trousers and a long and dark, gold-trimmed waistcoat that hung past her knees when she put it on. There was an undershirt included, but Lucy carefully chose to exclude it. Pulling on the trousers, she turned to admire herself in the mirror.

"Not too shabby," she murmured, and checking to see that no one was around, she then struck a pose. Her chest was left open, and while not as buff as Natsu's, her body was still quite good looking and her light skin was complimented quite well by the ebony color of the waistcoat. "Pretty hot," Lucy preened smugly, posing again. "I'd go out with myself!"

"That's really weird, Lucy."

Lucy yelled out in surprise and instinctively moved to cover her chest before realizing that hey, _she was a guy_, and slowly lowered her hands. "N-Natsu, you're back!"

Natsu, for some odd reason, was perched precariously on the sill of the open window, his eyes somehow determined, as if he was recently angered. However, once he caught sight of Lucy, they brightened considerably, and his trademark grin found its way back on his face. His long, rose-colored hair glowed in the light of the late afternoon sun, giving it a shining hue, and Lucy found herself staring.

"Lucy, you look exactly like me!" He easily hopped into the room and regarded her, giving her the once-over. Lucy glowed proudly. "So how do I look?" She asked, deepening her voice to a low, sexy growl.

"Hmmm," Natsu dipped his head slowly, eyes lingering on her chest before they flickered up to meet her own expectant gaze. "Yeah. You need to work out more."

She faltered mid-pose and sagged. Typical freakin' Natsu.

While Lucy looked miserably at her reflection in the mirror, Natsu traipsed across the room and opened the door. "Well, let's get going!"

"Where?" Lucy mumbled unenthusiastically, turning away from the mirror. "I just woke up, _please_ don't tell me we're going to go do something stupid, or-"

"Just come with me," Natsu interrupted eagerly, his face flushed with excitement, expression animated. "I promise you'll like it. Please?"

Biting down on her lower lip, Lucy considered for a moment, and then let out a sigh. "Why not? I suppose we aren't getting out of this fairy tale any time soon." Picking herself up, she followed a practically skipping Natsu out of the room.

* * *

><p>Somewhere deep under the sea, Mavis Vermillion was very, <em>very<em> amused.

She wasn't omnipotent and nor was she psychic; however, Mavis _did_ have a touch of something otherworldly as well as powerful magic, and she could tell that Natsu's little surprise plans weren't going to end well; as a magical being herself, she knew the book's behavior, and she knew that Natsu and Lucy likely wouldn't appreciate what was coming next.

Still, she admired the spunk that Natsu Dragneel had, especially when it came to that blonde stellar spirit mage, Lucy Heartphilia. The tenacity and vigor they had, the camaraderie and all that came with it, was exactly what she had hoped would be the spirit of the guild she had founded. These children were the essence of everything she had dreamed of.

Still…

It wasn't every day that one got sucked into a magical book. True, there were magical items abound in Fiore, but this book in particular had a spell too strong for just anyone to break, including spirits- not that she had tried. If Mavis were to be completely honest, she found the mages' situation to be downright hilarious.

And, well… truth was, Mavis had _known _Natsu would go against her wishes, would be furious by her lack of faith, and had deliberately asked Gray to add that little show of distrust into the message just to prod the fire dragonslayer on. Being the powerful spirit that she was (she mentally preened, here), Mavis was able to see a variety of scenarios that would result from any possible choices the two mages could make, and she had to say, her favorite of the scenarios was Natsu screwing everything up royally.

Humming to herself, Mavis settled down in a corner of her cavern and eagerly awaited what happened next.

* * *

><p>"The beach?" Lucy asked incredulously, trying to catch her breath as Natsu threw off his expensive shoes and ran, barefoot, on the sand as they descended the last parts of the cliff. "Why are we here again?"<p>

Natsu gestured vaguely at the beach, but Lucy found that her eyes were stuck on the setting sun, hue after hue of pastel each melting into each other and creating a grand display that reflected, rippled, into the sparkling sea. With each gentle wave, the orange glow in the waters rippled and became clear, only to broken by yet another wave; a mesmerizing chain.

Lucy didn't realize that she was holding her breath in awe of the sea's beauty until Natsu interrupted the moment by pushing a rowboat next to her. She gave a start.

"What are you doing, Natsu?" She frowned. "Don't tell me… You're trying to escape the book by boat!" Now that she thought about it, it _did_ seem like an awfully Natsu-like thing to do, minus the fact that he was normally sick to his stomach by the thought of boats. "You do realize that we're stuck in a _world_, not some place you can just row off and out of, right?" And he _did_ remember that he hated transportation… right?

Natsu gave her a startled glance, and perhaps it was just her, but there was an almost… _hurt_ look in his eyes. However, he quickly turned away, back to the boat. "Don't be stupid, Lucy," Natsu said, pulling her into the rowboat. "This has nothing to do with that." He pointed at a seat, and then regarded her for a moment, gaze intense. Lucy shifted uncomfortably.

"Uh… yes?" Lucy murmured, wondering if it wasn't perhaps strange that a 'man' such as herself was feeling this shy and unsure under the gaze of a 'woman' easily more petite than he.

"Are you comfortable?" Natsu asked abruptly. "Enough leg room and all that?"

She blinked. "Y-yeah, why?" Lucy glanced around the rowboat; while not large, it was sizable enough so that she could sit comfortably, without tucking her trouser-clad legs under herself.

"Stay put," Natsu said, and turned around, his feet kicking up the sand behind him as he ran to a small boatshed that she hadn't seen before, tucked behind a jagged outcropping by the cliffs.

"O…kay…?" Lucy stared after the recently-turned Princess. Was Natsu being deliberately enigmatic, or was this just a result of his single-minded determination, unable to think of anything else besides… whatever it was that he was doing?

As Lucy fidgeted in the rowboat, Natsu came trudging back with a burlap sack slung over his narrow shoulders. As he approached the boat, Lucy stood up, thinking to help him, but the Princess held up a hand and stopped her short.

"Just sit," he insisted, putting a hand on her shoulders and pushing her down. He heaved the sack into the boat and pushed it off from the beach, hopping into it (here, his torn dress flapped up; Lucy's head snapped away, face burning).

"Are you going to tell me what's in the sack or not?" She asked as they slowly drifted out, her curiosity making her fidget even more. Natsu's impatience was rubbing off a little on her, it seemed. "And why are we out here? What's-?"

Natsu reached into the sack and pulled out a small, ornately decorated candle, giving her a toothy smirk. "-going on…?" she finished, staring as Natsu carefully placed it on the side of the boat. Carefully, Natsu pulled out candle after candle, placing them around the boat until the sack drooped, and the rowboat floor was covered with candles of a variety of shapes and sizes, each the same cream-peach tone. This scene was vaguely familiar to her somehow, but as she struggled to recall exactly where it had come from, Natsu rolled up the sack, tucking it under his seat and taking out a box of matches. Making a face of disgust (but of course- he'd never had to resort to matches before), he attempted to light it. Lucy chuckled quietly at his attempts, his face so focused it was almost funny. Finally, after several attempts, it lit. Face dimly illuminated by its glow, he smiled the softest smile she had ever seen on him (but then again, it might've been softened by his feminine face) and said, "Did you think I'd forget?"

"Forget…?"

He lit a candle. "Happy birthday, Lucy."

The stellar spirit mage could only stare, unable to form words as the boy-turned-girl in front of her proceeded to light all of the candles until their legs were bathed in the combined glow of the candles and the setting sun.

She continued to stare, even as Natsu picked up the oars and began to row, the wood slowly breaking through the surprisingly gentle and quiet sea, a rippling and calming sound keeping the silence from becoming overwhelming.

However, what _was_ overwhelming was the sudden flood of thoughts that poured into Lucy's head. Without realizing it, her eyes began to water, and her hands flew up to muffle the sudden sob that threatened to escape her. Natsu looked up at the sound, startled, and suddenly panicked, releasing the oars and reaching awkwardly across the short distance that separated them, hands fluttering uselessly. "L-Lucy! Why are you crying? S-stop that! I thought you would like this, but, I mean, if it's really that bad, I mean, I think it's kinda boring, but I thought-"

"Oh, be quiet," Lucy sniffled. "It's, it's n-not that at all."

Natsu's hands fell back to his sides and drifted back to the oar handles. "Er… if you want to leave…" He waited, but when Lucy gave no response, he started up again, voice suddenly unsure. "I mean, I remember reading one of those silly things you wrote, and the main scene had a guy with a rowboat and the girl was really happy, and Happy thought that you wrote that as one of your fantasies and even though we both thought it was stupid… I mean, why would you bother going out to sea and _not_ catching any fish? But, I-I mean, I figured that since it's been a really long time in this book, you'd probably want something nice for your birthday, cuz I mean, you're kinda weird, and I just thought… but we can always just go back and eat, cuz food is good, right? I mean, you're a guy now so I guess maybe you feel a little different about stuff, and we could totally fish too, cuz I think that's smarter too, but-"

"_Stop ranting_," Lucy choked out, and Natsu immediately fell silent. Tears streamed down her face, uncontrollable, and her large frame began to shake. The dragonslayer awkwardly glanced around, looking at anywhere but her face; when she spoke, he gave a little start. "You're a _girl_," was the first thing she said.

"Hey, I'm a guy through and through," Natsu grumbled. "L-look, let's just go back…" For some odd reason, his skin had a pale sheen.

"No." She wiped away her tears and, pausing only for a moment, wiped her hands on her trousers. "Thank you, Natsu." She looked at him, blurrily saw the panic in his eyes melt away, and smiled, her sniffles morphing into choked laughter.

"You freak," he mumbled, rowing again, but his relief was evident in his voice despite its shakiness.

"This is all so stupid," Lucy declared suddenly, throwing her head back and staring at the orange-purple sky. "I'm a man. I'm in a rowboat filled with candles and you're a girl and yet you're _rowing_ and that just shouldn't be right. I mean, I'm the guy, I should be rowing, and your dress is torn, do you even have any idea how _expensive_ that probably was? And… and…" Her eyes met his again, and she felt the smile broaden. "You remembered my birthday." She suddenly felt euphoric, and… and in _love_. Natsu, her dear Natsu, was always so… so _himself_. Stubborn and straightforward, honest and trustworthy… he was this sweet even without meaning to. She folded her hands together and squeezed tight, hoping that the sudden pressure in her chest would disappear. It was almost overwhelming.

"Of course I remembered your birthday," was the easy response. "After all, you're-"

_My friend_. The words hung, unspoken, in Lucy's mind.

Lucy pursed her lips, her hopes sinking. Of course, it was Natsu's thing, after all, to put his friends and comrades first. Anything more than that was beyond asking for. But still… her smile didn't falter. Natsu like this was fine, too. She looked at him expectantly; he seemed to have trouble finishing his sentence, fumbling comically. Lucy tried not to laugh- he was just so cute. He didn't have to change, really. This was the Natsu she had fallen in love with.

_I'm in love with Natsu Dragneel._

She recalled the older, mature Wendy from the Sinbad chapter, remembered the woman's soft, reassuring smile, and her confident, '_He'll come into realization of his own feelings in time, but you, you have to wait it out_.

_Continue to love him unconditionally, and he'll eventually recognize and reciprocate it._

"After all," Natsu finally finished, breaking into her thoughts, "You're Lucy." He grinned cheekily, and looked down as if suddenly shy (but of course, he was Natsu, so that would never happen).

Lucy beamed.

'_After all, you're Lucy_.'

She looked at Natsu, who, even as a girl, still retained his sharp gaze and easy stubbornness, whose care for her hadn't changed despite that everything around them kept shifting.

'_He'll eventually recognize and reciprocate it.'_

_I'm in love with Natsu Dragneel. I'm-_

"Natsu," Lucy said quietly, a surge of determination rising up in her chest. Now was perfect, after all. They were by themselves, the setting was gorgeous, the mood was right, and why not? She could do it. She _would _do it, because who knew when she would get another chance? And maybe, from her confession, everything would go uphill from there. Sure, it was a little farfetched, but she just _had_ to let him _know!_

"N-Natsu…I…"

_She could do it-!_

"What?" He seemed extremely uncomfortable, but she had to say it…

"Natsu, I'm in lo-"

Natsu gave a sudden lurch and threw himself to the side, retching- evidently, the motion-sickness had finally broken through his impressive willpower. His weight unbalanced them, and in his queasiness, he didn't notice that he was tipping the boat and causing the candles toppled over one another. With quite the dramatic flair, the rowboat caught on fire.

Lucy fervently wished for something large and fiery to fall out of the sky and hit her.

Natsu wiped his mouth, shakily standing up, not perturbed by the flames in the least. "I guess the candles weren't exactly a good idea…" He straightened, and the boat was unable to take anymore, toppling over and hurling them into the sea.

Lucy shuddered in the plunge, and looked about the icy darkness, forcing her eyes to bear the prickling saltwater until she spotted a green-looking Natsu. Grabbing his limp hand, she gave a mighty kicked that propelled them up through the water.

"You idiot," she spluttered as they broke the surface. "Why did you have to pick the _sea_? Of _course_ some wave would knock the candles over! You couldn't have picked a nice calm lake or something like in the freakin' book I wrote?"

He looked blankly at her; beside him, the underside of the boat had somehow caught fire. "It was a _lake_?"

Lucy stared at him with disbelief, and then decided that it simply wasn't worth the effort. With harsh strokes, she began to swim back to shore, muttering under her breath the whole time. She stopped her groaning only when she had to catch a breath or when a well-timed wave silenced her. Although Natsu could have normally swam past her with no effort, his recent bout with transportation and his female body left him weaker, and so, he trailed just behind her.

They arrived on the shore coughing and spluttering, the salt water stinging their eyes. The water had suddenly churned up, the waves beating against their backs. The sky had darkened ominously, something Lucy hadn't noticed in her hurry to return to the beach.

"What's going on?" Natsu grumbled, looking down at his dress (at this point, it was nearly unrecognizable) "The sea was fine earlier." He threw a look at Lucy, his lower lip pushing out ever so slightly. "_You _were fine earlier."

She ignored the sullen comment, more frustrated that she hadn't been able to confess than with the ruined moment (although that was greatly frustrating as well). "Something tells me this isn't natural." Lucy tried to brush off the wet sand from her person, wrinkling her nose when the sand stuck to her clothes and itched against her skin. She wriggled her feet. "That's just too quick of a change…" Dark clouds had suddenly blanketed the sky, the sea churning and roaring in a stark contrast to its previous tranquility.

_LUCY_.

Lucy's head snapped up at the sudden sound; she stumbled to her feet. "Wh-who's there?"

"What are you talking about?" Natsu came to stand beside her, scratching at his sand-spotted legs. "It's just us-"

_LUCY, YOU INSOLENT CHILD!_

Suddenly afraid of the deep, resounding voice that seemed to sound from everywhere, Lucy grabbed Natsu and tugged him away from the hungry ocean. Its waves lapped at their feet and curled about their ankles before retreating, as if the sea was trying to devour them. Once they were clear of the pull of the waves, Lucy broke into a run, dragging Natsu behind her; out of nowhere, rain had appeared and pelted at their bare skin ferociously.

The sky was briefly illuminated by light as lightning flashed.

Natsu's eyes narrowed. "This storm reeks of magic."

"Not just any magic," Lucy murmured in response, clutching at her head as a sudden stab of pain hit her skull. Natsu supported her despite his diminished size and the two slowly made their way towards the cliffs, away from the raging sea.

_HOW DARE YOU VENTURE TO THE UPPER REALMS?_

"I'm sorry!" She moaned in pain, the pain in her head intensifying. "But you don't understand! I _had_ to!"

_THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS AND THERE IS NO PITY TO THOSE WHO DEFY THE LAW. _There was no doubt about it now; the voice was that of an enraged Makarov. She had left without a warning, had underestimated the effect that being a mermaid would have on the story, and now her makeshift father was furious. Clearly, this was a completely different Makarov than the one on Earthland, and although her mind already had a difficult time comprehending the anomaly, the pain was making it hard to even think clearly. What had happened to the small and laidback Makarov from earlier? Were the 'Upper Realms' really that taboo?

Another pang hit her head; this time, she fell to her knees. A worried Natsu caught her, but was unable to fully support her weight in his new body, and stumbled. "What do you _want_?" Her body grew clammy with dread, her limbs shuddering uncontrollably, and not just from the cold.

A hiss now, seeping into her brain: _He will suffer._

The pain in her head intensified so much that she nearly missed the loud creaking and groaning that came from above as lightning struck yet again; Natsu wouldn't normally have missed it, but in the split second that she was able to open her eyes, she saw his entire body was curled protectively over her, and in that instance, Lucy knew that the only thing on his mind was _her_. He was shouting her name, pleading and furious at her lack of response, but the blood was rushing in her ears; she heard nothing, saw only his eyes, so filled with concern for her. There was no way he would be able to see what was coming for him.

Her heart gave a tug. Her dear, dear Natsu. There was absolutely no way she would ever risk losing him.

"_LUCY!_"

She didn't think; she didn't hesitate. With all the effort that she could muster in her pain-induced state, Lucy lunged and pushed Natsu aside just as a tree came crashing down from the cliffs and slammed into her.

* * *

><p>When Natsu opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the dark crimson of blood.<p>

The next thing he saw was Lucy. Lucy, sprawled under a tree, legs buried under its sizable trunk. Branches cut into her clothes and sand smattered against her fair skin. Her waistcoat was torn, her trousers burnt. Clusters of leaves blocked her face from view. From under her, he could see the first thing that had greeted his sight- splatters of blood on the wet sand.

_Lucy_.

"Lucy." He crawled to her. "Wake up."

No response.

"Wake up," he repeated, leaning down towards her, holding his breath. Slowly, he brushed aside the leaves and stared at her face. Was it him, or did she seem paler than usual? When she didn't show any signs of responding, he tried again. "Lucy. Hey… _Lucy_." With his weakened female form it took a few tries, but he was able to push the tree off with some difficulty. However, the moment he did, Lucy gave a several violent spasms. His stomach clenched, fear knotting in his gut.

One of the larger protruding branches had pierced her side, and the blood from the wound was staining the sand a deep red.

He dropped to his knees.

"Lucy."

Silence.

"Damn it, you've been through so much more than this!"

She didn't respond.

"Hey… the people back at Fairy Tail are never gonna let you live this down if you don't wake up…"

Why the hell was he acting so… so… _panicked _all of a sudden?

"Lucy!"

And why wasn't she _waking up_?

"LUCY!"

Natsu suppressed the urge to pick her up and shake her violently, knowing that despite her stronger body frame, any hit like this could still be fatal. Her lack of magic in this world, too, would make her weaker, more susceptible to wounds. She _knew_ that. And she still-

"_Wake up_," Natsu demanded. "You're stupid, you know that? You're so freakin'…"

_Mavis was really insistent… said something really bad would happen._

Natsu trailed off mid-sentence.

_Said someone named… Lucy_… _would get seriously hurt._

The sky had begun to brighten and the downpour had slowed to a drizzle; still, a particularly large raindrop managed to hit both of his cheeks somehow, and trailed down his jaw. One drop trickled into his mouth; oddly enough, it was salty.

"I'm so stupid," he said quietly. Carefully, he tore off what remained off his dress sleeves and attempted to bandage her wound, but there was simply too much dirt and sand- gritting his teeth, he tried to bring himself to clean it, but found that, for some reason, his hands wouldn't go near the wound. His entire body shook just by looking at it.

A thrumming noise suddenly replaced the sound of rain, distinctly magical in tone. Natsu looked around, bewildered, and saw that Lucy's feet had begun to dissolve into sea foam, disappearing into the sand, leaving a faintly dark patch that quickly melded to match the rest of the damp beach.

"What- _damn it all!_"

Frantically, he grabbed Lucy's ankles and attempted to slow the magic from taking its toll, but the spell stung his hands and simply continued its course, eating away at her body.

Even if there were healers back at the castle, Natsu knew there wouldn't be enough time for him to get them before Lucy disappeared completely. For the first time, Natsu felt completely helpless. "You idiot," he seethed, brushing his tangled hair from his face, not caring that it was covered in sand. "_Lucy, _you _idiot_!"

Lucy.

Lucy, pale and bleeding and strong and stupid, and, and…

_Lucy._

Without thinking, his head dipped down to allow his lips to brush her cheek. His head was pounding.

For a moment, nothing happened.

And then a sudden rush of magical power exploded outwards from them, the sand whipping up around them and spiraling towards the sky. The foam stopped eating away at Lucy's thighs; another onrush, a flash, and Lucy was a girl again. A prickling sensation tickled Natsu's spine and then filled his body, expanding and stretching until his entire body shuddered with the magical power that had been bestowed on his body; he didn't have to look to know that he was a male once more.

His eyes were stuck on Lucy's face; back to normal, she seemed even more delicate and fragile, and he felt a strange emotion that seemed like…

He wanted to _protect_ her. He blinked. But Lucy… didn't need protecting.

The magic grew even stronger- here, Natsu was sure it was the book's magic by its familiar essence- and the wind around them howled, the spiral of sand bulging from the spell's power and then ceasing to exist altogether, replaced by a screeching cyclone of magical wind.

Lucy's body began to take on a strange hue, a golden shimmer that suited her and gave her hair an almost metallic gold in its soft shine. Her face, pinched up in pain, relaxed, as if the glow from the magic itself had healing properties. He caught a whiff of it- _cinnamon_?

His stomach unknotted.

Before Natsu had time to even wonder as to why he was feeling so weird (and around Lucy no less!), the glow emanating from his own body caught his attention.

It was… _green_?

Unlike the previous times where the glow they had taken on had been identical in every way- magical thrum, color, even _scent_- his was starkly different from hers; deep, strong, and smelling faintly of pine.

The onrush of magic quickened, the world around them seeming to blur.

All too late, he realized what was going on. With a muffled shout, he reached for Lucy's limp hand, but the magical presence suddenly tore into two, jerking him just out of reach and confirming his suspicions: the book was separating them. His fingers brushed the cold tips of hers for a split second, and then he was buffeted away.

His eyes squeezed shut, and with a newfound desperation, he bellowed, "_LUCY!_"

Her still form was the last thing he saw as he disappeared from the chapter.

* * *

><p>AN: **_Please leave any comments and feedback! _**Let me know what I can do to improve or what you thought! And of course, as always, none of this could have been done without my wonderful beta songstar13.

You guys, this is the start of my favorite part of the plotline. I am so excited it's not even funny, only to the point that it IS funny and... that doesn't make any sense. Anywho! Thank you so much for the continued support and please continue to stick with me!


	11. (temp) An Overdue Author's Note

Hello, all! This is Ice here. I'm sorry if you got excited and thought this was an update. Instead, it's a long ramble/apology. Please accept it!

First of all, I would like to apologize to all you readers out there who continue to wait for the next installment of this series and are patiently (or impatiently) continuing to support me. I cannot thank you enough for all of your wonderful feedback, be it constructive criticism or a kind word, and I value all of you who take time to read my story, and it really makes me happy to know there are still people who read this story even after it's been so long after I last updated!

I know this is a well-worn excuse, but life does genuinely get in the way, and sometimes you simply can't find the time to write. I won't go too much into the details of my personal life, but I can tell you that a lot has happened, and because I am a generally incapable person who is irresponsible and too easygoing for her own good, I've gotten into a lot of situations that I regret getting into. Nothing too serious, but lots of drama!cake. Between that and school and extracurricular activities, I have actually gotten down about 15 pages of the next chapter, and each of those pages has been reread and rewritten multiple times. Sometimes scenes don't want to flow the way they should, but I can assure you that the reviews that I've received and some of the feedback you guys have given me truly motivates me to keep foraging onwards whenever I get the chance to check up on the darned story. Let me make my intentions clear: THIS STORY WILL NOT BE LEFT UNFINISHED! I embarked on this journey with a purpose, and I will fulfill that destiny! Of course, I wouldn't be able to do it without all the nakama power-ups that you lovely readers provide so very generously, and I urge you to keep an eye out for the next chapter. I can't promise that it'll come out soon, but I'm trying very hard to make sure that it's worth at _least _half the wait. I mean, I wish I could say I want it to be worth the wait, but even I have to acknowledge that it's been an extremely long wait, so I'm going to ask you all to please bear with me.

Currently, I am taking classes at Stanford University (also part of the reason that I haven't gotten much work done), and one of those classes just so happens to be Fiction Writing! The class has opened my eyes to an entire world of possibilities that I couldn't even imagine existed in the first place, and it has fueled my determination to continue to improve my writing so that I can not only finish 'A Fairy Tail Ending' and finally deliver to all you wonderful readers, but so that I can also continue to write in the future and be sure to satisfy my audience, no matter who that audience will be. Again, thank you so much for your continued support, kindness, and patience.

Some of you have asked some questions, and here are the answers:

To those of you wondering when exactly FTE will be updated, I'm setting a goal for myself that looks something like "Soon". In other words, anywhere from one month to four.

To those of you wondering I'm letting so many awesome people wait, I swear, I'm just really slow and easily distracted by life.

To those of you wondering about the other stories that 'Ice of the Kitsune's Fire' has published... please note that this account is a joint account. This means that I, 'Ice', am not the only one uploading stories. I will confess to having published one or two others in the time period that FTE has not been updated, but I have always had the upcoming chapter open and in progress, and they were merely breaks from the occasionally painful writing process. And yes, I am the only one who writes FTE, although my close friend and partner in crime, 'Fire', often helps me work through the writing process and plot points.

To those of you wondering why I suck so much at updating despite writing like a first-drafter, it really is just that I suck. I'm working on getting better for your sake, though!

And for those of you who went tl;dr: I'M WORKING ON IT, I PROMISE. JUST WAIT. I LOVE YOU ALL TOO MUCH TO LET YOU DOWN.

And yes. This A/N will be taken down when the next chapter comes up, so look forward to it! Just so that you are not left without anything after this very long and slightly boring A/N:

**The next fairy tale will be: The Princess and the Frog**

See you all soon!

Ice


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